By; PATRICK TITUS, Uyo
For over 40 years, residents of Udotung Uboh Lane in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State Capital have been under deprivation motorable access to the area, besides loss of sources of economic and valuable property to perennial flood.
According to the residents, who described the street, which is more than a kilometre, connecting two prominent streets, Kelvin and Udo Otung Uboh streets is the worst area in Uyo.
They added that for over 20 years, no vehicle drives through the road because of its bad condition with gully erosion, thus, making life more deplorable for them.
When visited last weekend, our correspondent observed that the road has been eaten by gully erosion by more than five metres in some places, while small trees grow on the middle amidst tall shrubs with nasty smells from stagnant pools of water dotting every inch of the street.
According to Michael Essien, not only has no vehicle driven on the street for over 20 years, dangerous reptiles have taken abode on it, making it risky on foot especially during the rainy season.
“This road has been like this even before Akwa Ibom State was created in 1987. It is bad to the extent that no government regime has ever come to our aid in this community to make it motorable despite several cries for help.
“Over 20 years now, no vehicle has entered this road but as a community, through our little collective efforts we ensure that the road is walkable. We are appealing to the government and its agencies to come to our aid.
“During this rainy season, the whole area including people’s houses and shops are always flooded with water, thereby leaving some houses and shops unoccupied and useless.
“Therefore, we beg the state government to please do something to rescue us from this situation to bring development to the area.There was a time Ministry of Works came to inspect the road and ever since, we have not heard the outcome of their inspection.
According to another resident, Udeme Ikpat, “this road has been like this even before Obasanjo’s regime, when we had Obong Victor Attah as the then governor of Akwa Ibom State.
“I met a young man who recounted his encounter with Ephraim Inyang-eyin, who was the Commissioner of Works. He said a letter was written to him and then stamped, giving them the assurance that the road will be constructed. But unfortunately for him, when he left the state for a course, another extension of the road was being constructed instead of the Udotung Uboh lane. So since then, the road has not been constructed.
“Over 40 years now, no government is interested in constructing this road. This road would have been constructed during Nsima Ekere’s tenure as the NDDC boss. He wanted to construct this road, but due to some circumstances he could not do it.
“Why I said NDDC would have constructed this road is that Brown Street which is smaller than Odutung Uboh lane, yet it was constructed. Many landlords and tenants have left this area as a result of flood.
“I am a carpenter, but due to the bad condition of this road, nobody recognises the existence of a carpenter in this area. My shop is empty and I am always stranded because this is my only source of income. We have lost so many of our property. Our documents have been damaged because of flood.” Ikpat explained.
It was Alalso discovered that due to neglect by successive governments, many residents have made illegal encroachment into the road through indiscriminate building of parameter fences, houses and shops making it increasingly vulnerable to flooding and gully erosion.
Observers are of the view that though Akwa Ibom State Government has been commended for its effort on road construction despite harsh economic realities, the neglect of such roads within the metropolis would caste a dark cloud and overshadow efforts so far made in this direction.
