by Osita Chinedu
The rehabilitation/construction of the Ugbene II road Abakpa Nike, Enugu has commenced in line with the promises of the Enugu State Governor, Peter Mba to rehabilitate and/or construct 71 roads in the Enugu Urban which Abakpa was mentioned among.
Speaking in a press briefing in August 2023, the Commissioner for Works stated, “We identified about 71 roads in Enugu urban. We have scoped them and we are on the verge of getting them rehabilitated or reconstructed. These 71 roads cut across Trans Ekulu, Abakpa, Emene, Awkunanaw, Coal Camp, Asata, New Layout, Achara Layout, Idaw River, among others.
The above promises notwithstanding, the Ugbene II community took the words of the state’s number one citizen with a pinch of salt as a result of precedence. Successive administrations have made similar and even stronger promises but failed to deliver at the end.
The emergence of a motor grader and an excavator which commenced work on the Ugbene II road immediately from the Hall Market advancing towards Cornerstone made Governor Mba’s promise appear to be more than just a lip service.
It was an unexpressed mood of exhilaration in the faces of the inhabitants of Ugbene II as the heavy machineries continued the road construction work.
A tricycle (keke) operator who simply identified himself as Obyno expressed his pleasure, “Mba (Enugu state Governor) has remembered us. Do you know what this bad road does to our Keke? To change spare parts now is not a child’s play. Spare parts; in fact, everything is very expensive now.”
Another tricycle operator who spoke in anonymity was more about the sense of belonging in living in the area that attracted the state governor’s attention for infrastructural development project. He bragged, “Governor Mba don give us levels! See ordinary Ugwunwani (referring to another area that the governor is also working on their road) Now we don follow kwa. Express go finally reach us. We dey suffer dust for dry season and poto-poto (flood) for rainy season.”
A Petty Trader at the Ugbene II Hall Market who was identified as Mama Ify expressed deep seated suspicion. She was of the fear that the move of the state governor might end up like his predecessors’ because in her opinion, “The past administrations also graded this road. See this gutter, (pointing at the water ways on both sides of the road) we celebrated like this when they came to construct it. But what happened? They later became abandoned projects. They use us for politics. Well, let me be watching, if Mba is being sincere by living up to his promises, we shall then celebrate him; if not, we put him where we put others.”
The Ugbene II road when completed will be a link road to Alulu Nike and Nkwo Nike Local Government Headquarters bye pass to ease the usual traffic congestion along Nike Lake Road, especially at the Cornerstone Junction as well as Abakpa Tee Junction.
