Abia Community Laments Over Deplorable State of Road

Residents of Ovom, especially those living near Ovom Primary School along Opbo Road, Obingwa Local Government Area, Aba, Abịa State have raised concerns over the deplorable state of the road, which worsens during the rainy season.

On Thursday morning, heavy rainfall led to severe flooding, causing significant obstructions to vehicular movement and leaving commuters stranded for extended periods.

Kristina reports got it from residents, that the poor road conditions have led to a hike in transportation fares and most times, the unavailability of public transport as drivers avoid the dreadful road.

An anonymous speaker who is a resident in the area, used the opportunity to voice out about the situation.

“We have been going on like this for a very long time. This road has gone from a bad state to this condition which is worse and it is sad to see. To get to Opobo now, we have to hold our hearts out and pray we don’t fall into the pool of water before we get there.

Most times, Keke drivers don’t even play this road for days. When it rains very heavily, they avoid the road because their Keke might get stuck in the water or even get spoiled by it.”

Another commuter, who also spoke anonymously said the past administration did not pay attention to the road when needed which resulted in its current condition.

“If the past government had paid attention to this road, we would not be in this situation today. They left the road to graduate from a bad state to a worse condition.”

The community has called on the Abia State government to intervene by providing a lasting solution beyond the temporary measure of depositing trucks of gravel or granite on the road.

Tricycle drivers, who are also affected, have expressed frustration, stating that the road’s condition is damaging their vehicles.

They have threatened to boycott the route entirely if urgent repairs are not undertaken.

The residents and drivers are urging the state government to prioritize comprehensive road rehabilitation to alleviate the ongoing challenges faced by the community.