Motorists Express Frustration as Onitsha-Owerri Road Deteriorates Just Five Months After Repairs

In recent weeks, motorists and other road users have been facing significant challenges and unpleasant experiences navigating the deteriorating portions of the Onitsha-Owerri Expressway in Anambra State.This federal highway serves as a major route, linking motorists from the old Niger Bridge to various other states in the South-East, such as Imo, Abia, and Port Harcourt.A South-East PUNCH reporter visited the Upper Iweka section of the road near the Old Niger Bridge and observed its poor condition, with damaged stretches from Upper Iweka through the Mgbaemene, Enamel, Amanator, and Metallurgical School areas.continue Reading>>>...CONTINUE READING>>>

The large potholes, which have led to frequent traffic jams, are filled with stagnant water and scattered refuse, making the road an eyesore.Reports revealed that, in addition to causing traffic congestion, the bad road sections have become hotspots for street urchins, agberos, and other criminals to take advantage of road users and local residents.Motorists and locals said that the road had been rehabilitated in May 2024, just before the rainy season, following years of neglect and complaints from the community.

Additionally, it was observed that trash cleared from drainage systems was left piled on the roads, further obstructing both vehicle and pedestrian movement as people struggled to pass through.Motorists, who shared their frustrations while driving through the damaged road sections, lamented that despite the road being repaired only five months earlier, the rains had washed away the repairs.

In interviews with reporters, they urged the authorities to provide a lasting solution before the potholes worsen and turn into deep gullies, as was the case before the road was fixed in May.Chibuike Uzor, Vice-Chairman of the South-East Drivers Welfare Union, expressed concern that agberos and street urchins had returned to the road, using the bad portions to extort money and other valuables from commercial drivers.Uzor explained, “A construction company worked on the road a few months before the rainy season.continue Reading>>>

We’re not sure whether it was a federal or state project, but they used heavy machinery and laid sand on the road, and it was completed in May.””But after just one season of rain, the repairs have been washed away. It’s now October, and if you told someone new to the road that it was fixed in May, they wouldn’t believe it. We need a permanent fix.”He added, “While the road was temporarily good, there were no reports of robberies or kidnappings like we used to have.

I’ve been driving this route for over 30 years, and for 15 years, this part of the road was abandoned until it was repaired in May. Now, in less than five months, it’s back to being in bad shape, meaning they used poor-quality materials.””We’re asking the authorities to fix it quickly before it becomes as bad as it was before. This road is vital for connecting the South-East and other regions, and it shouldn’t be left to deteriorate again.”Another road user, Ifeoma Akachukwu, emphasized the importance of the Onitsha-Owerri road to the South-East, noting that it’s crucial for economic activities and connects major markets, including the Onitsha Main Market.

She urged the government to provide a lasting solution, expressing disappointment that the repairs done in May had already deteriorated. She called for an investigation into the construction company responsible for the poor-quality work, as the resurfaced potholes are already turning into dangerous gullies.She added, “The road is almost impassable now, and motorists are no longer safe. We’re pleading with both the Federal and Anambra State governments to help us.continue Reading>>>

They shouldn’t allow the road to fall into such disrepair again, as it did before the May repairs.”Another road user, Kevin Okeke, expressed shock at the rapid deterioration of the road, given that it had been repaired just before the rainy season. He questioned the quality of work done by the construction company, pointing out that taxpayers’ money had been wasted and that new contracts would soon be awarded to fix the same problem.“With these many new potholes, the suffering has begun again. Onitsha has big buildings, but no good roads.

It’s not right for a commercial city,” Okeke said. “On top of that, we have to deal with extortion at military checkpoints, where they’ve blocked parts of the road for no reason.”When asked about the situation, the state Commissioner for Works, Ifeanyi Okoma, acknowledged the report, suggesting that the repair may have been done by FERMA. He requested photos or videos to identify the exact location.A source from FERMA, speaking anonymously, confirmed that the rehabilitation was carried out by FERMA in collaboration with the ‘Presidential Recovered Funds,’ with a construction firm handling the project.