Staff, students and other members of the academic communities of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) and the Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, both in Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo State, have expressed deep concern over the deplorable condition of the Ihiagwa-Naze-Obinze link road.
They said the deteriorating condition of the road had compounded the hardship, frustration and security challenges faced by students, staff, motorists, residents and other road users in the area.
The Ohanaeze Youth Council, the apex socio-cultural youth organisation, has also weighed in on the matter, with its National President, Comrade Igboayaka O. Igboayaka, calling on the Minister of Works, Senator David Nweze Umahi, and the Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, to take urgent steps to rehabilitate the road.
Igboayaka noted that although the road is a state road, its strategic importance extends beyond the state, as it provides a vital link between two major federal institutions—FUTO and the Federal Polytechnic, Nekede.
He therefore urged the Federal Ministry of Works, under the leadership of Senator Umahi, to intervene urgently to alleviate the suffering of students, staff and other members of the academic community.
According to him, the road has suffered years of neglect, abandonment and deterioration, resulting in frequent vehicle damage, prolonged travel times and untold hardship for commuters and residents.
He further alleged that previous reconstruction efforts by the Imo State Government along the Naze-Nekede axis were abandoned, leaving motorists and commuters to contend with the worsening condition of the road.
The youth leader also raised concerns over what he described as the frightening level of insecurity along the route, alleging that the deplorable state of the road had created an environment conducive to criminal activities, including kidnapping, car snatching and motorcycle theft.
Igboayaka called for a collaborative intervention by the Federal and Imo State Governments to address the challenges posed by the road.
He also recommended the expansion of the drainage system towards Ihiagwa Market and the bridge currently under construction, saying such measures would improve drainage, ease traffic and provide an alternative route for motorists.
He said motorists and commuters had continuously complained about prolonged delays, the difficult terrain and the resulting socio-economic consequences.
“There is an urgent need for the completion of this road, which has become an imminent death trap,” Igboayaka stated.
He appealed to the relevant authorities to treat the rehabilitation of the Ihiagwa-Naze-Obinze link road as a matter of urgent public interest, particularly given its importance to the academic institutions and communities it serves.
