By Chuks Eke—
As this year’s rainy season is fast approaching, stakeholders from Enugwu Village, Adazi Enu in Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra state are presently on their knees asking the Mayor Romanus Ibekwe-led local government authorities to urgently liaise with the state government in completing the abandoned three-kilometer road linking Nnokwa/Enugwu Village of Adazi-Enu/Ichida and Akwaeze communities in the Anaocha Council Area.
Making the passionate appeal during the recent celebration of their Enugwu Village day/Award Giving, Chairman of the village, Sir Jideofor Okongwu, expressed the fear that if an urgent response is not made by the relevant Government authorities before this year’s rainy season sets in, some of the affected communities might be cut off from the linking chain.
Okongwu, a legal luminary and one-time Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Anaocha branch, praised the harmonious relationship between the state government and local government councils in the state in terms of collaborative efforts to bring the dividends of democracy to the grassroots.
He noted that although the state government is trying its best in road construction, across the communities in the state, much attention needs to be paid towards the aforementioned roads, which they described as a nightmare for the rural dwellers plying the roads.
Okongwu therefore appealed to Governor Soludo to urgently intervene before the rainy season, noting that the road traverses three local government areas in the state (Aniocha, Aguata, and Idemili South), respectively.
According to him, we are not saying Governor Soludo is not working; he has performed beyond Ndi-Anambra expectations in all sectors, including road construction and security, but what we are passionately appealing at the moment is for him (the governor), to help us construct the only road that links to the Enugwu village-Adazi-Enu. The poor state of the road has stalled farming and business activities in the area. We urgently want the governor to come to our aid before the rain commences.
“Businesses and other social engagements have been paralyzed in my Enugwu village, owing to the bad condition of the road in the area. Thousands of residents of the area who live and conduct their daily activities along this axis are encountering significant hardships as a result of the bad road.
“While Governor Soludo has made commendable strides in infrastructural development under his “Solution Administrative agenda, it is also essential that more visible efforts be directed toward rehabilitating more rural roads across the State, including the contested Akweze-Adazi-Enu-Nokwa road, Okongwu appeal further”.
Also speaking were Okwudili Ezenwaka, Vice-Chairman of Enugwu Village; Felix Eyisi, Secretary of the Village; Prince Chike Okongwu, Chairman of the Planning Committee; Ikechukwu Okonkwo, Vice Chairman, Planning Committee; and Paulinus Ezenwaka, Secretary, Planning Committee, praised Anaocha Local Government Council for their meaningful impacts so far at the grassroots level and expressed optimism that the council authorities would respond to their clarion calls as quickly as possible.
No fewer than six eminent personalities from far and near were given various types of awards by the Villagers, including Chief Mrs. Ginika Ejindu, Elder Stephen Ezeokonkwo, Udonaoganiru, Chidozie Arinze Okpala, Youth leader, Barrister Chinedu Ononiba, and Hon. Romanus Ibekwe, Chairman of Njikoka Local Government Area and his Anaocha counterpart, Hon Romanus Ibekwe.
