Residents of Ibaji Local Government Area of Kogi State has appealed to the Federal Government to repair roads destroyed by the flood, which recently ravaged the area.
The residents made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria at Ibaji. The flood cut off, on several portions, the only major road that links the Ibaji Local Government Headquarters to Idah.
A badly damaged roadin Ibaji
Ibaji council area, is a border between Kogi and Anambra States, comprises 34 villages. Vehicles have to veer off the tarred road and go through bush paths in Ugwoda and Ejule-Ojebe villages, about 12 kilometres from the headquarters in Onyedega.
The untarred road, which connects the 34 villages, has numerous potholes, gullies and craters, making motorcycles the preferred mode of transportation in the council area. The motorcycles have created bush paths, especially at Unale and Onyedega villages, in a bid to avoid the gullies and dust on the road.
Another bad section on Ibaji road
Few vehicles, which attempted to ply the damaged road, either got stuck inside ditches or on undulating landscape. Mr. Gabriel Inebeli, a nurse at Unale, said: “Ibaji roads have been terrible for long, but the flooding destroyed the only tarred road leading to our local government headquarters.
“The flood destroyed several roads and cut off about 12 communities. In the past, we experienced flooding between August and October, but none has ever been as bad and devastating as this last one.
“We often hear on radio that there were ecological intervention funds but our community has never enjoyed them. We are appealing to the Federal Government to come to our rescue and assign the right people to administer the funds to ensure they are not diverted,” he said.
Another bad section on Ibaji road
The Principal of the Unale Community Secondary School, Mr. John Nwadobu, told NAN that the flooding also rendered many people homeless. Pastor Peter Ajumaya-Akebe of the Grace of God Mission in Enweli Village also regretted the effects of the flooding on the roads.
“After the flooding, the roads became so bad that every time we travel, we take drugs because of the aches and pains we get. I am appealing to both the federal and the Kogi governments to come to our aid, because we are cut off from social and commercial activities because of the damaged roads,” he said.
He also urged the Federal Government to construct a highway that would connect Ibaji with Anam and Nzam towns in Anambra State for economic growth.
