The rainy season is here again. A season that gives much hope for every living creature including humans, as the downpours cause the earth to flourish and produce huge harvests.
It is also a season that comes with pain, suffering and nightmare as a result of floods.
With the few months of rains so far, citizens and communities are already encountering nightmares on their roads and one of such communities is Onicha-Ugbo in Aniocha North Local Government Area of the oil-rich Delta State.
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Though the agrarian community cherishes rainy season as it favours agriculture, they are in pain because the only major road that links them to their Local Government Headquarters in Isselle-Uku is dilapidated and impassable.
The situation has sparked massive outcry among the residents as they look up to the state government and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to come to their rescue and fix the road.
They want urgent action from their governor, Sheriff Oborevwori and Chiedu Ebie, chairman, Governing Board, NDDC.
According to the indigenes, the bad spot, opposite Gbonoza Primary School, Onicha-Ugbo has remained unfixed for over two years now, leading to almost total collapse of the road, rendering the road impassable for vehicles, motorcycles, trucks, even to pedestrians.
The Local Council authorities were said to have done nothing to salvage the situation at the early stage of its deterioration.
One of the residents of the town, Ohia Emmanuel Chukwunweike said: “The road in question is the major connecting road between Onicha Ugbo and Issele Uku. With the way it is, our parents may find it difficult to go to their farms and Issele Uku market.
“We are calling on the NDDC, Delta State Government and all stakeholders to urgently reconstruct the road with a proper drainage system; let our people feel the dividend of democracy.”
Another resident and grassroots politician, Francis Osedume decried the situation, saying, “It is disheartening that both students and local farmers cannot access their schools and farms respectively due to the unfortunate nature of the road.
“I am appealing to the executive Governor of Delta State, to kindly help do justice to the road.”
Joyce Iwelumon, a daughter of the town, pleaded with their representatives and government to come to their aid.
“This is a plea as an indigene of Onicha-Ugbo. I am pleading that our political representatives and the government of our dear state should please come to our aid in fixing the road connecting Onicha-Ugbo and Issele-Uku.”
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Another resident, Sunday Adikwanfu said that the spot has become an eyesore, needing urgent attention from the authorities and called for quick intervention.
“The sight alone poses danger and it will be difficult for the community people who ply the road on a daily basis to trace their parts without endangering their lives., Chidi Ogwugwua, another concerned resident of the town, said.
Onicha-Ugbo lies on the Benin-Asaba Expressway, connecting the west to the East of Nigeria and the main economic activity in the area is agriculture.
The community is a growing town of about 16 square kilometres in Aniocha North LGA. It is located about 40 kilometres from Asaba on the Asaba-Benin highway and has a population of about 10,000 people
It is bordered to the east by Issele-Uku and Idumuje-Unor; to the West, by Igbodo (in Ika Local Government Area) and Obior; to the north, by Idumuje-Ugboko and Ewohinmi (in Edo State) and to the south, by Ubulu-Uku.
