IjOgbonnaya: The Story of Imo State

Roads after two weeks of usage

When you browse for state of roads in Imo state and then you see all those nice pictures of engineers, both foreign and local ones working on very beautiful roads, please do not be fooled. They do not represent the state of roads in Imo State, not by any chance. I know this because I tried to browse for images for this write up and believe me; the pictures I saw there do not represent what is happening in Imo State all.

Construction Engineers

I intentionally wanted to stay quite but mama has got to say something, it's getting crazier everyday. Our governor is smarter than the rest of us. Isn't that why we elected him or let me rightly put it: Isn't that why he was selected? It's better put like this. And then he embarked on a rescue mission to rescue the people of Imo; so then, what are all these big roundabouts on small roads that cause big accidents on our roads? What are all these breaking down of shops to expand roads only to abandon the roads half way? The whole State is littered with abandoned roads. When they are done constructing the much they can, the roads break down after a week. Why?

The smallest amount of rainfall causes flood in the city. Sometimes, it looks like a witch-hunt because streets that do not lead to busy roads are broken down for expansion and then abandoned causing people untold suffering. And when they begin to work on a road, they select the houses or walls to break down intentionally passing some; it's crazy. People in Owerri understand what I mean. Don't pray to be out when it's raining in Owerri, which is an impossible prayer for God to answer now because this is rainy season and people have to go out to earn a living.

Earning a living, people need to live, right? So, you don't pay people salary, you lay off all the young people you employed last year in your Youth Must Work Project after owing them for so many months, you are not providing means of generating internal revenue for the state and yet you break down people's shops to construct roads which you will eventually abandon half way? How Sir? People are hungry and unpaid and the state is breaking up and abandoning roads? Sometimes, that roadside shop is what a family feeds with because salary is not coming. The level of frustration in the state is escalating.

We hear of people committing suicide everyday. Armed robberies are increasing, so is fraudulent internet activities amongst our young people. There is no way a governor will become a miracle worker but he should be sensitive to the needs of the people. Instead of breaking up roads, renovate the old ones. All the streets in most of Imo are riddled with very bad potholes. Instead of breaking up several roads at the same time, focus on one, finish it and go to the other. Instead of wasting time and resources working on the same roads over and over (on the same road, you will see different layers and colors of coal tar making the roads so rough and bumpy), use good construction companies and make quality roads. Truth be told, if all the roads this present administration built were quality roads, Imo will be close to heaven. Alas, it is not so. The roads become bad after two weeks or less of usage.

You see, I can go on and on in my lamentation but it will not make any difference. Governors should really stay true to their mandates and the will/needs of the electorates. Why make elaborate speeches and flamboyant campaigns only to use your office to oppress people? There's no need for all the stress. Go to a very strong babalawo, bewitch the whole state and become the Governor. Save yourself and the people all the stress because right now, Sir, your rescue mission needs to be rescued. It is drowning the people of Imo.