Follow Us on Google
From George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
•One of the beneficiaries receiving gifts from Chima
Umuoma Nekede community in Owerri West council area of Imo State has taken it upon itself to rehabilitate its only link road, which has become deplorable as a result of years of neglect by the state government.
President General of the community, Chief Okechukwu Opara, who disclosed this during the inspection of the road project, said that the community had decided to rehabilitate the link road after its annual year conference in 2023, having waited endlessly for the state government to do the needful to no avail.
•Opara
He also revealed that the project has already gulped about N16 million, being donations realised from sons and daughters of the community towards the realization of the road project.
Okpara said: “We have to embark on this road project because of its importance to the existence of our community and people. This road leads to our farm lands and it is the only link between our community and our neighbours in Owerri West council. It is also the shortest route to Owerri, the state capital.
“So, when we mooted the idea of rehabilitating it regardless of its huge capital outlay, our people responded and started making donations and they are still making donations, especially those in the diaspora. We are committed to ensure that we make this road better.
“I must commend Ndi Nekede, Umuoma Progressive Association and community leaders across the three clans of Nekede which included Umudibia, Umualum ancient kingdom for showing support and making huge financial donations towards the realization of this important road project.”
Also, the traditional ruler of Umuoma Nekede Autonomous community, Eze Morrison Soronnadi Eke (Ohamadike), called on the shared prosperity administration of Governor Hope Uzodinma to, as a matter of urgency, come to the community’s rescue on the terrible condition of their only link road in Nekede.
His words: “The road leads to our farms and its terrible state has affected food production in my community negatively. With the recent economic downturn and the type of hardship being experienced in Nigeria of today, my people will perish unsung without food production.”
Commending the PG, the monarch said: “I am proud to announce today, Umuoma has a vibrant, proactive and pragmatic President General by name- Chief Okechukwu Opara -Dike ri oha mma. He consulted me and my Eze in- council and we said enough is enough on this infrastructural disaster.
“We opted to rise to the challenge and today, we are succeeding. We must succeed whether success like it or not. We have decided to be the master of our fate and the captain of our soul. Champions take responsibility. My Umuoma Nekede people are champions.
“My regime has demonstrated commitment, we have shown capacity and have proved capability. We are today raising our two hands before the Imo State government led by Gov. Hope Uzodinma and also to our friends and well wishers. We request them to intervene and support us to fix this road perfectly well. We have sunk about N16 million in this project and the project in yet uncompleted.
“I must at this point appreciate the people of Umuoma Nekede for their liberal hearts and generous donations. When we appealed to them for assistance, they responded positively.
“My people in diaspora have assisted us in great measure and demonstrated ‘Onye aghala nwanne ya’ attitude. I appreciate them a lot.
“As for the individuals and families that have donated millions of naira to this project, may the Almighty God replenish their pockets tenfold. Givers never lack.”
The public relations manager, Umuoma Nekede, Amb Princely Onyenwe, regretted the continued neglect of the road by the state government.
Onyenwe said that the Mmiri Nkwoahia link road and bridge connect the adjourning communities in Owerri West. He added that for years the community advertised the sorry situation of the road to attracting government attention but all proved abortive.
“The reason is not far farfetched. The Federal Ministry of Works, Ecology Department and possibly state government have decided to ignore the projects until the community commenced the remedial rehabilitation that has consumed not less than N20million. Regrettably, Nekede gave the highest expanse of land to accommodate both Federal and state government facilities but there is no tangible thing to prove evidence of dividends of democracy in the area. It is this same Daily Sun newspaper some years ago carried similar story on the sorry situation of this particular road and link bridge and till date no government assistance,” he said.
Also, emphasizing on the importance of the road and bridge to Nekede and Imo people at large, Sir Douglas Eke noted that the project will certainly require huge resources and pleaded with the people of goodwill, government officials, political leaders and Nekede sons and daughters to join hands to move the work to conclusion before the rainy season sets in.
Engr Opara, an indigene of the community, who is incharge of the reconstruction project which is being done through direct labour, vowed to ensure that quality job is done to give the people of Nekede the best.
He, however, regretted that the shoddy work done on the Otamiri bridge previously by the government was below the required minimum engineering standard which he said left the bridge in precarious state.
He, therefore, solicited for the intervention of the state government to aid the completion of the project embarked upon by Umuoma Nekede community.
