The people of Isi-Uzo Local Government Area in Enugu State have cried out to Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to complete the Ugwogo-Neke-Ikem Road started by the past administration of Sullivan Chime.
The road could not be completed by the previous administration and residents fear it might have been abandoned.
Residents of Ikem community, who spoke on the poor state of the road, also bemoaned the condition of the Ebenyi Bridge at Ikem-Uno, which they said has become a death trap.
They urged the new administration in the state to alleviate the suffering of motorists, the indigenes and other travellers on the road to connect neighbouring communities in Udenu Local Government Area, Benue and Ebonyi states.
A businessman at the local government headquarters, Ndubuisi Odo, lamented that his business across the Ebenyi River has since been paralysed as he finds it difficult crossing the dangerous bridge built by federal troops shortly after the end of the Civil War.
An auto panel beater at Ikem Junction across the river confessed that his business has been good since the bridge always wrecked vehicles, thus bringing their drivers to him for repairs.
A vulcanizer in the same location also told the same story of making brisk business from deflated tyres.
The traditional ruler of Ikem-Uno, Igwe Okechechukwu Ogbodo, while appreciating the effort of the past administration in constructing the road, pleaded with the new state administration to help complete the construction of the bridge and the remaining few meters of the road to join Nsukka-Nkalagu Road at Ukwumango.
The monarch disclosed that the hanging bridge was being maintained by community effort, especially by the late President General of the Ikem community, Greg Ugwueze, adding that since the demise of Ugwueze, condition of the bridge has worsened and became impassable.
Investigation from the state ministry of works indicated that the bridge was awarded at the cost of N350m to a contractor from Greyline Construction Company that constructed the 28km Ugwogo-Ikem road, yet the bridge remained uncompleted by the past administration.
It was also learnt that the contractor was not mobilized up to 20 percent of the contract sum, yet the contractor sourced for money to erect piles of the bridge with hope that the past administration would pay up before May 29 but that did not happen and the contractor was frustrated, hence the contractor’s withdrawal from site.
Another resident of Isi-Uzo LGA, Ugwu Ishingene from Neke, also lamented that even the tarred road from Ugwogo with shoulders and drains of the road have remained uncompleted and pleaded with the new administration of Ugwuanyi to come to the rescue of the Isi-Uzo communities affected by the predicament.
