By Tony Adibe
Aggressive, massive and destructive are probably the right words to describe the decades-old regular flooding that, before now, ravaged and ransacked the popular Oji Urban Market and Motor Parks in Oji River Local Government Area of Enugu State in Nigeria’s southeast geopolitical zone. Indeed, the flooding was a nightmare for the people of the area, especially those who use the market and motor parks.
Even the poor infrastructure challenge was not peculiar to the Oji River market and motor parks. The deplorable condition of a portion of the Oji Urban-Achi-Awgu Federal Road, that stretches from Oji town junction to the Nigeria Police College, Oji River – a distance of about one kilometre – was, before now, nothing to write home about. Some described it as horrible! Traveling on the bad road at the time, commuters said, was akin to passing through the biblical valley of the shadow of death. Commuters used to rain curses and insults on the previous governments, NewsBitsng.com was informed.
But all those stories are now history – things of the past. And just as the Scripture said, old things have passed away. And now everything has become newly recreated. This seems to be the new story since the current Chairman of Oji River Council Area, Hon. Greg Anyaegbudike was elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a party that has governed Enugu State since 1999.
The Executive Chairman, Hon. Anyaegbudike saw the infrastructure deficit as a challenge that deserved 100 % attention. To tackle the dilapidated road and flooding of market and motor parks, Anyaegbudike quickly collaborated with the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA). Now the Anyaegbudike-led administration has controlled the flooding that, for decades, troubled the Oji River Urban market and motor parks. The administration succeeded in reconstructing an underground culvert into which all the flood erosions entered from Achi Road and the ‘Holy Hills’ Cathedral, Diocese of Oji River, Anglican Communion, Church of Nigeria, empty into the river.
This particular landmark achievement has drastically mitigated the problems of commuters along this route and environmental hazards experienced by shop owners at Oji ‘Wonderful market’ along the Achi Road.
NewsBits, however, learnt that the recent reconstruction of the portion of the Oji Urban-Achi-Awgu federal road has so far enhanced easy transportation across Oji Urban to several towns within Enugu State and the neighbouring towns in Anambra and Abia States. Also, it has reinvented the aesthetics and shape of the popular Oji Junction, the gateway to Achi and other towns in Oji Urban.
NewsBits recalls that prior to its recent reconstruction, some commercial vehicles avoided using the road because of several bumps. The rough, rusty, and dusty nature of the road during dry seasons posed serious health hazards to traders at the Oji Urban market, motor parks, and shop owners along the route. The situation at the time reminded me of the poem I crafted on the Coal City sometime in 2002. Titled, “ENUGU,” the poem reads:
Enugu
Dust,
Dust,
Dust
And
Rust
Battle daily
For space
In valley
On hilltop
Rooted on rustic concrete
And crawling, creeping soil!
NewsBits observes that the imagery used in the poem applies not only in the case of the Coal City, but also in Oji River Urban Market, and Motor Parks, where, before now, “dust and rust” was seen as the order of the day! Sadly, however, the pool of flood water it retains during the rainy season due to poor drainage was quite unsightly, and apparently, derailed commercial activities.
But Chairman Anyaegbudike saw the problem as a major obstacle to the socio-economic growth of the entire Oji River Local Government Area and a hindrance to an effective transport system from and across Oji River Urban to other towns.
NewsBits reports that although it is a federal road, and the Oji River Local Government Area is still struggling to have a viable means of increasing its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), the Anyaegbudike-led administration tackled it head-on. And just three months after the project was flagged off, the vision and commitment turned into reality. Anyaegbudike has joined the league of Council Chairmen in Enugu State, who constructed asphalted roads.
Who said Chairmen of Council Areas can’t build roads if they are empowered? The current situation in the administration of local government areas appears to be a contrast to the past administrations in the state, NewsBits learnt.
Once the story was told of a particular local government Chairman in Enugu State who wanted to embark on road rehabilitation/construction in the local area. But unfortunately, the governor at that time ordered the chairman to stop the road projects. His reason? He didn’t want the masses to know that the council had so much money with which to embark on such road projects. The chairman stopped the project, and the road projects died. Infrastructure development can hardly come in a rural area where the leadership has such a mentality.
Fortunately, Anyaegbudike’s reconstruction/rehabilitation of the road has showcased the beauty and natural environment of the sloping terrain that is the Oji River T-junction off Enugu-Onitsha old road. What a beauty to behold!
INTERCONNECTIVITY/IMPORTANCE
NewsBitsng.com recalls that the Oji-Achi-Awgu Road was originally constructed by the British colonial administration. Presently, it is the major tarmac to network of roads connecting many communities in Orumba, Aguata, Nnewi local government areas, among other places in Anambra State, through Inyi town, Akpugoeze and Awlaw communities in Oji River local government area of Enugu state.
The Oji-Achi-Awgu road traverses across many communities in Achi, including institutions such as the famous Girls High School Achi (now, Girls Grammar School Achi), Corpus Christi College Achi, the Achi General Hospital, Ekegbo Market, Achi, and the popular Veterinary Farm School Achi, before connecting Mgbowo, Nmaku, and some other towns in Awgu local government area and Aninri local government area, linking the popular Enugu-Onitsha Highway.
The importance of the Oji-Achi-Awgu federal road in enhancing interconnectivity between Enugu State and some neighbouring towns in Anambra, Abia, and, somehow, Imo States encourages inter-related commercial activities among the people and socio-economic growth of the three states.
The federal government’s intervention in the maintenance of this particular road is highly expected and would be appreciated if and when it happens. Currently, it is the major tarmac that links several towns in three states, namely Abia, Anambra, and Imo states. The implication is constant wear and tear due to the increasing daily heavy traffic on it.
Meanwhile, the Federal Lawmaker representing Aninri/Awgu/Oji River Federal Constituency, Hon.Engr.Anayo Onwuegbu, FNSE, intervention on the damaged portion beside Achi Joint Hospital, has prevented the Achi-Awgu axis of the tarmac from dividing into two, the current rainy season.
The Civil Engineer-turned politician, Hon. Engr. Onwuegbu brought in earth-moving equipment that successfully refilled the deep gutter created by soil erosion, which threatened to cut the tarmac into two. Onwuegbu, a.ka. Omeiheukwu, also facilitated the construction of drainages around the Achi Joint Hospital, into which further floods on the route are channelled.
A trader at the Oji Urban Market, who pleaded anonymity because she said she is not from the area, although she stays with her aunty married to a man from Achi, praised the Anyaegbudike-led administration and prayed God to give bless him with good health and long life and wisdom with which to continue to lessen the problems facing the rural dwellers.
Another ‘beneficiary’ of the rehabilitated infrastructure at the motor park who identified himself simply as Chuks, said: “I work in the motor park. I’m very happy that within a short time the current Chairman came into office, he has been able to identify the main problem affecting the road and the parks. He has solved them. The essence of government is to make society a better place for the citizens. We’re very excited about this development,” said Chuks.
Yet another person, an elder who said he is a retired teacher and would prefer not having his name in print because he doesn’t want to be seen as “a political agent to anyone”. He said he would always pray for Anyaegbudike and Engr. Onwuegbu for the various roles they played in resolving the infrastructure deficit that caused so many nightmares for the people of the area.
