The Residents of Owerri, the Imo State capital have relayed their sufferings and frustrations over the ugly state of Roads in the City, coupled with hold-ups occasioned by few roads now plied by too many vehicles.
Our Reporters who visited the Town said that the rains have destroyed most of the manageable roads in Owerri, leading to many vehicles pursuing the few that are available.
According to situation report, the entire MCC/Uratta Road is a tragedy waiting to happen, as residents of the area now use track roads and formerly abandoned roads as the latest alternatives, without any other option.
Trumpeta was told that the Uratta/MCC situation was caused by delay in constructing the road which has lasted close to three years.
“We were happy when they road construction commenced. We were told that it will finish in short time, with Baloon Technology, but we are now cut off. It is too bad” Chief Cosmos Opara, from Uratta told Trumpeta.
A Shop owner at Chukwu Nwoha/MCC Road, Mrs Cathrine Ofoegbu said that her goods were all destroyed last week, by flood, and now has an empty store, caused by heavy rain and flooding at the junction.
“As the weather changes every day, our hearts are beating double. This is because we know that any drop of rain is a tragedy to us. While the road has been abandoned is a question we don’t know who will provide the answer” she lamented.
At World Bank/Umuguma road, the Residents said that had the roads been constructed before the rains set in, the havoc wreaked by flooding in the area would have been less or even avoided.
“Why every Government in Imo State love constructing roads during rainy season is a mystery” Bar Paul Nwanebo said.
However, Reports have it that whenever rain falls, all Round abouts in Owerri are jampacked due to motorists who refuse to obey the Traffic lights, including the fact that motorists are using some routes that are manageable now.
“IMSU junction is usually a no go area, mostly during time for school Runs. Yesterday I was there for over one hour” Mrs Joyce Nkwopara said.
Another junction, our Reporters discovered impassable was Fire Service Round about.
“The cause of that one is the construction works going on, on Umuahia/Mbaise/Owerri Road. The Construction Company created alternative routes which is one-way. But the problem is the drivers who in a bid of struggling to gain advantage over others, cause gridlocks” a Road Workers said.
Another motorists disclosed that, before the construction on Egbu Road commenced, he expected that the “back streets” in Central Bank quarters and Trans Egbu Areas be fixed as “alternative routes for motorists”.
“We appreciate what the Government is doing, but the bad roads in the Back Streets should be fixed to serve as alternative routes to ameliorate the suffering of vehicle owners and commuters” Sam Nwafor told Trumpeta.
