Residents of Onitsha-Atani road in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State have been subjected to suffering as a result of a deplorable road in their area that has remained abandoned.
The road that links the community to Onitsha the commercial city in the state has since become deplorable making it impossible for the residents not to have an access road to their respective homes and business places.
The Onitsha-Atani road has continued to be this deplorable even as the Nigerian Federal Government in this year’s budget allocated the sum of N40 million for its construction.
Despite the N40 million allocated for the construction of the road by the Federal Government, it has remained abandoned with the residents being the worst hit.
The locals who spoke to MAWA regarding the deplorable road, said apart from it destroying businesses and affecting the local economy, it contributes to environmental hazards and poses threats to their livelihood.
Mr. Nkemka Ezigbo, a community resident who spoke to MAWA, said the road has been deplorable for a long time while pointing out that it often becomes worse during the rainy season.
“This road has been this bad for years, and we suffer most on it during the raining season” Ezigbo told MAWA.
Miss. Ijeaoma Njideka, who claims to have worked at two NGOs working on environmental issues and claims to be an environmental expert, who spoke to MAWA via a telephone conversation, said apart from the deplorable condition of the road, it contributes to environmental hazards.
Njideka, pointed out that the stench odour that comes out from gutters needs to be immediately addressed while attributing some of the illnesses in the area to toxic environmental hazards.
“Many people are not looking at the environmental hazards the deplorable condition of the road poses to the wellbeing of the people, stench odour from the gutters alone can cause illness and death and this has to be addressed” Njideka said.
MAWA Foundation could not immediately reach out to the Anambra State Government for an official response.