…Contractor abandoned site after earthworks
By Chinedu Adonu

For the people of Amufie, Ugbaike and Inyi communities in Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of Enugu State, the deplorable state of the major road linking them is a source of serious concern.

It is negatively affecting their social and economic life. Rather than being a source of economic lifeline for the agrarian communities, the road has turned into a source of frustration due to its condition resulting from years of neglect and abandonment.


The contract for the 7. 640-kilometer access road linking the three agrarian communities was awarded in 2020 by the Enugu State Government. The road also connects the communities to some part of Obollo-Afor up to the Abuja highway. The award of the contract had raised the hope of the people that it would help to transform the communities’ transportation, boost their agriculture produce, improve trade and life generally. That hope is shattered with the abandonment of the road.


For over six years, the road project remains abandoned after the earth work, exposing it to fast deterioration. Today, deep gullies, stagnant water and failed sections have replaced the optimism that greeted the project.


Heavy-duty trucks diverted from the dilapidated Obollo Afor-Abuja highway plying the unfinished road helped to accelerate its collapse, leaving residents worried that the route may soon become impassable.


A visit by SEV to the road showed the road in a deplorable condition such that motorcycle riders even find it difficult to meander through, especially on a day it rained, as the road is flooded on several portions, with washed-out laterite surfaces and drainage channels unable to withstand increasing traffic.


For the predominantly farming communities, the road is more than a transportation corridor; it is an economic artery linking farms to markets and connecting rural residents to neighbouring communities of Benue State and the Federal Capital Territory.


A community leader from Ugbaike, Mr. Michael Ugwu, described the road as one of the most important rural links in the area.


According to him, the previous administration completed the earthwork and some drainage before leaving office, raising hopes that the present administration would complete the asphalt phase.


“This road connects our communities with Udenu, Benue and the Abuja highway. It became the only alternative route for heavy vehicles when the Obollo Afor-Abuja road became almost impassable.


“Unfortunately, because the road was never asphalted, the heavy traffic has damaged large sections. Every rainfall washes away more portions, and motorists now struggle to use it. It is becoming impassable even with a motorcycle,” he said.


Ugwu appealed to Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah to intervene, noting that completing the project would improve mobility, stimulate economic activities and preserve an important rural transport corridor.
*Farmers count losses


For farmers, the consequences of the abandoned project extend beyond poor transportation to huge economic loss.


A farmer from Inyi, Chukwuka Ujah, laments the negative impacts of the bad condition of the road on them.


“Our livelihoods depend on this road. We transport cassava, yam, vegetables and other farm produce to markets in Obollo Afor, Enugu-Ezike and neighbouring communities. As the road becomes worse, transportation costs increase, and some vehicles refuse to come to our villages. That affects our income and the prices consumers eventually pay,” he said.


According to him, rehabilitating the road would improve food distribution and encourage greater agricultural production across the area.


Businessman and community leader from Amufie, Chief Augustine Nweze, believes the abandoned project represents a missed opportunity for rural economic development.


He noted that the road has the potential to serve not only the three communities but also motorists traveling from Nsukka and Enugu-Ezike to Abuja through a shorter route.


“The earthwork was done to a good standard, but because the project stopped halfway, heavy-duty trucks have destroyed many sections.


“We have seen the ongoing infrastructure development by the present administration in Enugu State and believe this road deserves attention because of its economic importance. Completing it will benefit farmers, traders, transporters and travelers alike,” he said.


*A call for Govt. action.


Residents insist that their appeal is not merely for a road but for the restoration of economic opportunities and improved living conditions.


They argue that completing the abandoned project would reduce transportation costs, improve access to markets, encourage investment in agriculture, and strengthen connectivity between rural communities and major highways.


For the people of Amufie, Ugbaike and Inyi, every rainy season deepens fears that the road could become completely inaccessible. Their hope now rests on government intervention before the road, once seen as a symbol of development, disappears beneath erosion and neglect.


As Enugu State continues its drive to expand infrastructure and unlock rural economic potential, residents believe that completing the abandoned 7.640-kilometre road would not only fulfill the promise of an unfinished project but also restore a vital lifeline connecting communities to markets, opportunities and the rest of the country.