The second term administration of Governor Hope Uzodimma is witnessing some salient achievements that have been going on without the usual publicity stunt which accompanies projects executed by governments. Some ongoing projects are currently receiving serious attention, more than they received during the first tenure of the governor. Projects of the past administrations which were left dilapidated have received a facelift, while there is an ongoing filling of portholes across Owerri metropolis and its environs. Some dilapidated short-distance connecting roads and bye-passes, like the Nekede Road, and Full Moon Hotel connecting road which were overlooked throughout the four years of the first tenure of Governor Uzodimma have now been fixed, a least across Owerri metropolis, making movement hitch-free for road users.
Of particular attention to C-Advocate Newspaper in this edition is the Second Inland Road/Bridge. As the name goes, this is the second of the four Inland Roads/Bridges constructed by Owelle Rochas Okorocha, as the governor of Imo State, between 2011 to 2019. The four Inland Roads/Bridges were envisioned by Okorocha’s administration to serve as easy connection between old and New Owerri. To construct the Inland Roads/Bridges, the government created a road from Warehouse junction, down to Emmanuel College/Wetheral Junction, Owerri. Before the construction of the road, the entire stretch of the area was used as refuse dump, a squalor and den of drug addicts and all manner of criminals.
Construction of both the Warehouse to Emmanuel College/Wetheral Junction Road, as well as the four Inland Roads was one of the most innovative projects of the “Rescue Mission” administration of Rochas Okorocha. The roads/bridges lived up to the projection by Mr. Okorocha. They became the darling of road users, both residents and visitors to Owerri. While fully serving the purpose of connecting the old and new Owerri, as postulated by the then Governor, the roads/bridges also played very significant role in reducing traffic hold-ups in Owerri metropolis to the barest minimum as they were used as bypass for inter-state travelers transversing throw Owerri/Imo State.
However, in the face of all these advantages of the roads/bridges, they had a challenge synonymous with most projects of the Okorocha administration, which is “SUBSTANDARD”. The roads/bridges could not stand the test of the time. They started dilapidating while Okorocha was still serving as governor, though he maintained them by constantly patching the portholes that keep developing on them. By the time Chief Emeka Ihedioha took over as governor of Imo State, the second Inland Bridge had had a major crack and was declared dangerous for vehicles to pass through. It was subsequently barricaded, leaving only the third Inland Road/bridge closer to it open for motorists and commuters assessing the Akanchawa- Concorde Hotel-Area H- Udenwa Estate part of New Owerri to Port Harcourt Road areas.
This development left the 3rd Inland Road with heavy vehicular traffic, because even the Westend- Old Road Nekede Road/Bridge which served as the only connection between old and New Owerri before construction of the Inland Roads was also left dilapidated, especially the small stretch that connected to New Owerri area. Because of the heavy vehicular traffic and substandard nature of its construction, the third Inland Road, as well as the bridge also hard portholes and cracks everywhere. It not only became a death trap, but a slaughter slab, as many Imolites and visitors lost their lives in accidents that occurred along the road/bridge. The road/bridge rendered countless vehicles useless. Meanwhile as all these things were going on, the Uzodimma led administration looked indifferent to the condition of the road, as well as plight of the road users who depend on them to facilitate their movements. It remained the same for the four years of the first tenure of Governor Hope Uzodimma. Neither was the motorable Third Inland Road/Bridge given adequate maintenance attention, nor the dilapidated Second Inland Road/Bridge rehabilitated. Most Imolites were however surprised that few months after the second tenure of the administration, both roads/bridges were completely renovated and put in a very perfect shape, just like most of such roads and other infrastructural projects across the state. Our correspondent who visited the road met some road users who volunteered to speak on the transformation which took place on it. Excerpts of their reaction are in the attached video.
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