From Everest Ezihe, Ogwa
Umueze Abazu Ogwa is one of the foremost ancient communities in Ogwa Anunu Umu Mgbe clan in Mbaitolu council area of Imo State, today the community is on the verge of being cut off from the rest of the world, no thanks to her deplorable roads condition.
The community which is barring 20 kilometers to Owerri, Imo state capital is an eyesore as her entire roads both entrance and internal road networks have been cut off by the rains giving room to gully erosions that made the roads humanly impassable.
It’s on the grounds of this that the entire community through their traditional ruler, HRH Eze Engr. Kenneth Akuneto, Eze Udo 2 and the President General, Chief Everest Ezihe-Olumba assembled and resolved to send, Save Our Souls, SOS message to Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma to quickly come to the rescue of the community before it will be too late.
The community’s major entrance roads that link her to other neighbouring communities like from Ekeoha to Ogwa Girl’s Secondary School and to Amaukwu Orodo, have become product of gully erosions, just like Umuelekocha to Umuduruzo and then to Umuahi Mbieri is a death trapped occasioned by heavy floods on the middle of the road and persistent gallops.
It’s even worst from Ekeoha to Abazu Central School then to Baptist Church,Umuelekocha. The community is worst of when taking from Afor Utisi Market to Ogbomii Market. Certainly not only have members of the community been cut off from their kiths and kins but from the rest of the world.
The situation is so bad that no commercial vehicle even from Owerri for the past two months dares enter the community warranting their girls loosing so many suitors and the deceased only been buried by few household members around. This may sound funny but it’s worst than the reality on the ground.
Certainly, the situations of the roads are not something individuals can do, it deserves the state government and federal government agencies financial muscles, moreso as the community is renowned as one of the food baskets of the nation.
Ironically, the community cannot boast of any democratic dividend even political appointment under the Shared Prosperity and 3 R administrative mantra of the present dispensation.
The situation has become so deteriorated to an extent that indigenes of the area resident outside the community can no longer come home to see their loved ones they left at home while those entrapped in the community cannot move beyond the community as all exit routes have been taking over by flood, water logs and gully erosion.
The community is passionately appealing to Imo State government through the Ministry of Works to honestly consider the community plights with military despatch so as to avert national and international embrassments.
These are the true state of roads in Umueze/Abazu Ogwa autonomous community, pix by Everest Ezihe, Owerri.
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