By Izunna Okafor, Awka
The Anambra State Government has inspected portions of the Umunze-Umuchu Bypass Road and the Ideani axis of the Nnobi-Nkpor Road following reports and videos circulating on social media over the condition of the roads. The government, during the visit, explained the circumstances surrounding the reported defects while also assuring that intervention is already ongoing.
The inspection was carried out by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Special Projects and Director of Project Evaluation and Monitoring, Prof. Engr. Ebuka Nwankwo, and a team from the State Ministry of Works and Infrastructure led by the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Arch. Okey Ezeobi, and
The team first visited the Ezekiel Ike (LOMU)-Ulo Ogbagu (UBAHA)-Nwabugo Street-Community Primary School (St. Augustine)-Community High School-Umunze/Umuchu Bypass Road, following a video posted on social media which showed a damaged portion of the road and raised concerns about its condition and the quality of the work.
Speaking during the inspection, Prof. Nwankwo said the government decided to visit the location to ascertain the actual condition of the road following the concerns raised by members of the public.
He said the team inspected more than two kilometres of the road and found that the damage was limited to a particular portion, which he said was affected by a road accident.
According to him, a heavy-duty vehicle reportedly lost control, crashed into the drainage and damaged part of the drainage structure as well as the adjoining portion of the road.
Prof. Nwankwo said the situation should therefore not be taken as evidence of a general failure of the entire road, noting that no similar damage was observed along the other portions of the stretch inspected by the team.
He consequently frowned at the manner in which the video was presented, particularly what he described as the attempt by its creator to portray the isolated damage as evidence of a general failure of the road and use it to cast the administration in a negative light. He said some of the comments and conclusions contained in the video went beyond reporting the condition of the road and appeared to turn the matter into a political issue.
According to him, the tone and presentation of the video suggested an attempt to use the incident as propaganda against the government, possibly because of political differences over the candidate supported by the person who made the recording. He cautioned against allowing legitimate concerns about public infrastructure to become a platform for political attacks or the denigration of the work being done by government and professionals handling such projects.
The Special Adviser stressed that the government acknowledges and appreciates citizen journalism, particularly when residents use social media to draw attention to issues requiring government attention. He said such reports could help project monitoring teams identify problems and respond to them promptly.
He, however, warned that citizen journalism should be exercised responsibly and should not be turned into a political tool for deliberately misleading the public, demoralising professionals or undermining projects and interventions by the government. He urged members of the public to report what they observe accurately while allowing technical professionals to establish the actual cause and extent of defects.
He also said the government would continue to welcome constructive criticism and genuine reports from citizens, but would not encourage the deliberate distortion of facts for political purposes.
He also disclosed that the contractor handling the road was already at the site with materials to commence the necessary repairs on the affected drainage and road section.
He said the government would continue to monitor the project and ensure that identified defects were attended to, regardless of the circumstances that caused them.
Also speaking, the State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Arch. Okey Ezeobi, also inspected the affected section and pointed to features of the road construction, including the drainage, reinforcement and other structural components.
He said the drainage structure was properly reinforced, adding that the exposed reinforcement at the affected section showed the construction details of the road.
Ezeobi further said the government had access to engineering and laboratory test results relating to the project and that the results indicated that the required construction standards were followed.
He explained that the impact of the accident affected the asphalted portion of the road, while water subsequently gained access to the damaged area, worsening the visible condition of the spot.
He said the earthwork beneath the affected section also remained intact despite the impact and water-related damage, while stressing that the government would not leave the damaged portion unattended.
According to him, the presence of the contractor and construction materials at the site was an indication that corrective work was already being undertaken.
The team subsequently proceeded to the Ideani axis of the Nnobi-Nkpor Road following another social media report about an erosion and drainage problem said to be threatening motorists and other users of the road.
At the Ideani location, the officials said the immediate problem was connected to the drainage system, which they said had been obstructed by refuse dumped around the area.
The obstruction, according to the officials, affected the free flow of stormwater, resulting in water spilling onto the road and contributing to the erosion and deterioration noticed around the section.
Prof. Nwankwo said the government’s project monitoring team had also taken note of the social media report and had moved to inspect the location.
He disclosed that the contractor had been directed to commence intervention at the affected portion.
He said the Nnobi-Nkpor Road, which was constructed over 20 years ago by former Governor Chris Ngige, was one of the roads inherited by the present administration, having been constructed more than two decades ago. He noted that the government had been maintaining such existing roads while also executing new road projects in different parts of the state.
The Special Adviser said the government welcomed reports from residents through social media and other channels, as such reports could help the authorities identify areas requiring attention.
He, however, urged members of the public to ensure that such reports were made accurately and in good faith, especially where technical claims were involved.
According to him, while residents and other citizens have the right to draw attention to infrastructure problems, technical conclusions about the quality of a road or the cause of a particular defect should be based on proper professional assessment.
He said the government would continue to respond to genuine concerns raised by residents and would not ignore defects simply because they were brought to its attention through social media.
Commissioner Ezeobi similarly appealed to residents to desist from dumping refuse in drainage channels, stressing that blocked drainage could prevent stormwater from flowing freely and cause water to spill onto roads.
The Commissioner said the condition of the drainage system was an important part of road infrastructure and required the cooperation of residents to remain functional.
The officials also reiterated that the state government’s monitoring teams would continue to visit project sites and existing roads across the state to assess their condition and identify areas requiring intervention.
They said the inspection of the Umunze and Ideani locations was part of the government’s response to concerns raised by members of the public, assuring that the affected sections would receive the necessary attention.
The government therefore assured residents and other road users in the affected areas that corrective works would continue at the identified locations, while urging motorists to exercise caution around sections where construction and repair activities were ongoing.
It also appreciated Ndi Anambra for drawing attention to infrastructure challenges and encouraged residents to continue providing useful information that could assist the government in monitoring roads and other public infrastructure across the state.
