Hon. Sam Onuigbo Calls For Urgent Completion Of Abia-Imo Link Road As Communities Decry Abandoned Bridge Project (Photos, Video)

Former House of Representatives member, Hon. Sam Onuigbo, has called on contractors handling the vital Abia-Imo link road to expedite work and ensure timely completion.

The former lawmaker made this appeal during an inspection tour of the road, emphasizing its economic and social importance to both states.

Onuigbo noted that the road traverses key locations in Imo State, including Achingalli-Udo-Onicha-Obizi, while in Abia State, it connects Umunwanwa, Ubakala, and Nsirimo, linking to the Enugu-Port Harcourt expressway.

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Commending President Bola Tinubu for prioritizing the project, Onuigbo stated that the president’s commitment to infrastructure development is evident in his insistence on completing the road and deploying the Minister of Works to inspect its progress.

“This road is crucial for both Imo and Abia States, and I must commend President Tinubu for his determination to ensure its completion,” Onuigbo said. “The fact that the Minister of Works visited the site demonstrates the president’s resolve.”

The former lawmaker urged the contractor to take advantage of the dry season and accelerate construction work before the rains return. He stressed that the road is not just a transportation route but a lifeline for commerce, social interaction, and economic development between the two states, in particular, and the nation at large.

Onuigbo, who now serves as the Southeast representative on the Governing Board of the Northeast Development Commission (NEDC), emphasized that the project aligns with President Tinubu’s vision to bridge infrastructural gaps and heal the scars of the Civil War by improving connectivity in the region.

Recounting his involvement in the project, Onuigbo recalled meetings with former Minister of Works, Babatunde Fashola, where he highlighted the strategic importance of the road. He noted that after years of advocacy, seeing the project awarded was a victory, but delays in execution remain a concern.

Also speaking, Amanze Uchegbulam, a former Vice President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and a respected figure from Ezihite, Mbaise, stressed that favorable weather conditions between November and February should have been utilized to advance work on the road.

“The contractor must focus on completing the road before the rains return,” Uchegbulam said. “Progress has been recorded from Achingalli to Udo, but the Abia section from Umunwanwa to Ubakala to the expressway needs urgent attention.”

He further advised against changing the contractor at this stage, insisting that the focus should be on ensuring the current firm completes the project efficiently.

In a related development, residents of Ngodo and other Umuwanwa communities in Ubakala, Umuahia South LGA of Abia State, have appealed to President Tinubu and the Minister of Works, David Umahi, to intervene in their deteriorating road and bridge infrastructure.

The villagers, led by His Royal Highness, Eze Pharm Stephen Ihuoma, Traditional Ruler of Ngodo Autonomous community, lamented that their only road and bridge connecting them to the outside world remains abandoned despite two upward contract reviews.

According to the indigenes, the bridge linking Umuwanwa to Mbaise in Imo State—destroyed during the Civil War in 1969—was awarded for reconstruction by President Tinubu, but work has yet to commence. Meanwhile, a gully erosion has split the road into two, endangering lives and isolating the community.

Receiving Hon. Onuigbo and Amanze Uchegbulam, who played pivotal roles in securing the project, the community pleaded with the Federal Ministry of Works to pressure the contractor into returning to site before the rainy season worsens the situation.

“While we appreciate President Tinubu and Minister Umahi for awarding this project, we beg them to ensure the contractor returns to site immediately,” Eze Ihuoma pleaded.

The traditional ruler revealed that community members had personally funded repairs, including building gutters and carrying out remedial works, but the scale of damage is beyond their capacity.

In response to the community’s concerns, Hon. Onuigbo reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring that all projects initiated during his tenure were completed. He called on the contractor to deliver a high-quality job in line with President Tinubu’s infrastructure renewal vision for the Southeast.

Similarly, Amanze Uchegbulam expressed disappointment over the contractor’s absence from the site despite an upward review of the contract. While acknowledging that some progress had been made on the Imo side, he said he was unimpressed with the slow pace of work on the Abia section.

The Federal Government’s road rehabilitation project covers the Achingali-Udoobi-Udo-Na-Umu Uwanwa-Ubakala Road, spanning 19.687 km and including:

Road Rehabilitation: Upgrading a two-lane single carriageway between Achingali and Ubakala.

Bridge Construction: Building a new bridge across the Imo River to enhance connectivity.

Drainage Solutions: Installing box and ring culverts alongside trapezoidal concrete drains to manage erosion and flooding.

The completion of this road and bridge project is critical to economic growth and regional integration. As Onuigbo, Uchegbulam, and local leaders continue to advocate for faster execution, it is expected that the Federal Government will take decisive action to ensure the contractor returns to site without further delay.

Failure to complete the project on time could have dire consequences, including economic losses, mobility restrictions, and severe safety risks due to worsening erosion. The communities remain hopeful that President Tinubu and the Minister of Works will respond swiftly to their appeals, ensuring that the long-awaited road and bridge project is finally completed.