The youth wing of the Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze, has commended Governor Hope Uzodimma for rehabilitating the dilapidated federal roads in Imo State.
While praising Governor Uzodimma, the Ohanaeze youth group rebuked his critics, emphasising that the federal roads in Imo carry significant economic value.
The Ohanaeze youth completely dismissed the media attacks by what they described as desperate and selfish politicians and opposition figures in Imo State regarding the construction of federal roads by the Uzodimma administration. They stated that such criticism represents one of the most unwholesome political manoeuvres ever witnessed in the state.
The National President of the Ohanaeze Youth Council, Igboayaka O. Igboayaka, made these remarks on Thursday in Owerri, the state capital, while addressing journalists.
He expressed his disapproval of certain political profiteers in Imo who criticised the reconstruction of long-abandoned federal roads by the Uzodimma administration.
According to him, the same political class that mismanaged the state’s resources between 1999 and 2020 is now unjustly criticising Governor Uzodimma’s infrastructure development efforts, particularly the construction of the Umuahia, Okigwe, and Orlu federal roads linking Imo and Anambra states.
He said: “The administration led by Governor Hope Uzodimma requires constructive and objective criticism to enhance its performance. Criticism driven by political bias and envy from desperate politicians who misappropriated Imo State's resources since 1999 is unacceptable to Igbo youth and progressive-minded individuals.
“The dualisation and repairs of Orlu, Umuahia, and Okigwe federal roads offer substantial economic advantages to Ndi-Imo and the broader Ndigbo community.”
Ohanaeze noted that the criticism of Uzodimma’s efforts to repair and reconstruct federal roads by regrouping Imo State politicians is a politically motivated attempt to regain power in 2027.
They added that good federal roads in Imo State undoubtedly improve accessibility for businesspeople, thereby boosting the state's internally generated revenue.
The youth group observed that, over the past three years, travellers across the South-East using routes from Onitsha, Port Harcourt, and Owerri to Enugu have found the Okigwe road to be the most reliable.
They further advised that Governor Uzodimma should expand his road rehabilitation efforts to include other intra-local government roads within the state. These include roads from Ntueke to Isiekenesi and onward to Okwelle; from Ahiara Junction to Ehime Mbano Aba-Branch; from Orlu to Ihiala and Uli; from Anara Junction in Isiala Mbano to Ehime Mbano, Oriagu to Obowo Seven and Half Junction; from Umuna Orlu to Nkwerre and on to Amaraku; and from Akokwa to Arondizuogu and onwards to Okigwe.
The Igbo Youth President implored Governor Uzodimma to consider undertaking the construction of these long-neglected and deteriorating roads, which have remained a persistent source of hardship for Imo residents over the past 24 years.
