Travellers and motorists plying the Umuahia–Ikot Ekpene federal highway are groaning under unbearable hardship as the road continues to deteriorate, causing gridlock, accidents, and huge economic losses.
Investigations reveal that several lives and millions of naira worth of goods have been lost due to the deplorable condition of the highway, which has become nearly impassable in some sections.
Although the Federal Government awarded a contract for the road’s reconstruction over five years ago, the pace of work has remained painfully slow, leaving commuters frustrated.
A commercial driver, Chidi Nwankwo, lamented, “We spend hours trapped in traffic because of the bad spots. This road has turned into a death trap. Government keeps promising, but nothing changes.”
Some portions of the road have only been temporarily repaired through interventions by the Abia State Government, particularly around Ndume, Timber Shed Market junction, and the Ikwuano axis.
The Umuahia–Bende–Ohafia road, which passes through the hometown of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ben Kalu, is also in a terrible state, drawing criticism from road users and residents alike.
Stakeholders have called on the Federal Ministry of Works to urgently mobilize the contractor back to site, warning that continued neglect of the highway could cripple economic activities in the region.