Nine communities in Ikah axis of Enjema district in Ankpa Local Government Area of Kogi State are inaccessible as the wet season nears its peak, residents cried out.
The communities are linked together by a major access road which stretched from Ofugo town also in Ankpa Local Government Area through various settlements on both in Kogi and Benue States.
It was gathered that intervention on the road always comes from the management of a missionary hospital which had provided health needs of several communities across the eastern senatorial district of the state and beyond.
The hospital was established in 1961 by a Canadian missionary, Raymon
Dibble and currently managed by his grand daughter Mrs. Lois Wheeler, a nurse of many years standing.
It was learnt that before the rainy season, the hospital management would grade the road and continue to intervene throughout the season to make it passable.
However, residents said the condition of the road has worsened over the last two years following exploration activities by coal miners.
It has been manageable following interventions each year by the hospital management but miners come in with trucks and make it impassable.
“If it rains nobody could go out or come into the community in vehicle or on motorcycle for several days,” a resident, Saibu Madaki, said.
Our correspondent observed during a visit penultimate Friday that the miners come in through the Ofugo axis with up to 10 to 15 trucks everyday.
It was noticed that the mining activities take place in three locations along the road, thereby putting further pressure on its already deplorable state.
“At least, as part of their social responsibility, the miners should put laterite on even gravel to make it passable,” Mr Egbitti Amedu said.
It was learnt that the state government is not unaware of the condition of the road and its importance as a link way to several communities.
“Even the existence of a very important hospital providing services to citizens ought to have galvanised government into action,” Umoru Ebilama noted.
However, the state government, it was learnt, has awarded the contract during the administration of Alhaji Ibrahim Idris for the sum of N2 billion but work was abandoned.
“The story we are getting is that the road was constructed but as you can see, it was graded midway and abandoned,” Madaki said.
The residents appealed to the state government, public-spirited individuals and the mining company to intervene to make the road accessible.
Credit: Daily Trust
