Memeber Representing Ikwuano/Umuahia North/South Federal Constituency, Hon. Sam Onuigbo has expressed sadness over the death of Miss Chidinma Ogbonna, a final year student of the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike.
Miss Ogbonna passed on on Sunday, October 3 along the Umuahia-Ikwuano-Ikot Ekpene Road, over what we lawmaker described as ‘reckless action of a driver’.
Recall that the lawmaker had last week assured that palliative work will commence on the failed portion of the road this week to ameliorate sufferings commuters face on the road while also assuring that his office is in touch with the federal ministry of works and housing to ensure that the contractor handling the road returns to site to bring a lasting solution to it.
In a condolence message on Monday, Hon. Onuigbo described as great tragedy the death of Miss Ogbonna, urging the family, management, staff, and students of the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike to take heart over the incident.
READ ALSO: Palliative Works To Commence At Umuahia-Ikwuano-Ikot Ekpene Road Next Week — Hon. Onuigbo
Highlighting efforts he had made to make the road passable, Hon. Onuigbo said, “I would like to point out that I have always been concerned about the pains our people have been facing on that road due to abandonment by the contractor(which on its own was caused by inadequate funding by the Federal Government).
“As far back as March 9, 2021, I had written to the Federal Emergency Road Maintenance Agency(FERMA) alerting them that the road had failed.
“Last week, I also reached out to FERMA on the need to carry out emergency repairs on the badly failed sections of the road, and then follow up with proper palliative works for the whole stretch when the dry season sets in. FERMA responded positively to that request and have now started work.
“As at Saturday, October 2, 2021, FERMA had already started moving materials to the road. They will see to it that those very bad sections are fixed in order to ameliorate the sufferings of our people. I urge all of us to cooperate with them so that they can carry out their works effectively.”
While calling on the people of the constituency to join forces with him to draw attention to the bad state of the road, Hon. Onuigbo called on commuters to exercise caution while plying the road to reduce avoidable deaths.