Five major agrarian communities in Orlu Local Government Area of Imo State, including Isi-Ihiteowerri and Amanator-Ihiteowerri that are bordering Ideato-North LGA have jointly called on the State Governor, Sen. Hope Uzodinma to come to their rescue with the reconstruction of collapsed Orasi Bridge linking them with Obodoukwu, Urualla and Uzubi Communities in Ideato-North LGA of the state.
Speaking in an interview with Business Hilights in his village, a Youth Leader in Isi-Ihiteowerri autonomous community, Comrade John Okeke, who recalled that the bridge was first constructed in 1970 by the Army with iron rods, confirmed that it collapsed since the early 90s, thus stopping every form of socio-economic activities between his community and others in Ideato North.
According to him, “The importance of a new bridge to relink his community, Amanator-Ihiteowerri with the rest of Ideato-North communities cannot be overemphasized. Since the bridge collapsed, my people and in fact, the entire Ochasiato towns in Orlu LGA no longer go to Eke Obodo, a leading major 4-day main market in Obodoukwu, which is a very big market in Ideato-North.
“The situation has further closed and stopped several businesses of our people which rely on either buying or selling their goods at the Eke Obodoukwu market due to no more bridge at Orasi River to cross and do business.
Continuing, Comrade Okeke affirmed that “I know the Governor as a working governor who listens to people and do things. He will reconstruct the bridge and even do the road linking Ochasiato and Ideato towns of Uzubi, Urualla and Obodoukwu to grow business activities and social relationships.
“I don’t know him one-on-one, but I know he loves doing good infrastructures. In fact, recently, he won the prestigious Vanguard Newspapers Infrastructure Award due to the good infrastructures he has been providing in the state. So, I am very hopeful he will do the bridge to reconnect Ochasiato and Ideato-North LGA for the good of the Imo State economy because economic activities are powered by transportation.
“For easy access, I have mobilized my community youths to clear the forests along the road leading to the point of the collapsed bridge so that when the governor’s fact finding team will come, they will see that our community is very serious for both the bridge and the road to be done for the interest of socioeconomic activities in the area.
Also commenting on the sufferings of his people since the bridge failed, the President general of Amanator-Ihiteowerri, a neighbouring community using the road and bridge with Isi-Ihiteowerri in Orlu LGA, Chief Ifeanyi Duru said “our community is the most hit since the bridge collapsed because we cannot go to Eke-Obodo market in Obodo-Ukwu community of Ideato-North which is a very big market after Eke-Ututu in Orsu LGA.
“Due to the collapse of the bridge, my community market; Ahia-Ututu no longer function well because all the traders coming from Ideato-North communities no longer come. Today, the market is now a shadow of its former self.
“This has collapsed several businesses and thus making many of our people to become poorer as their businesses are no longer moving due to no bridge to cross and sell their agro products and several other community products at the Eke-Obodo market. The market is a four-day market and very big and powerful. So we beg our working governor to come to our aid as the bridge will reconnect Orlu main town direct to Ideato-North communities of Obodoukwu, Urualla and Uzubi and even several Anambra communities including Uga, Akpuru, Ekwuluoba, Neni, Obeledu, Awka and many others seamlessly.
Also, the leadership of Ochasi Peoples Assembly (OPA), an indigenous development-oriented non-governmental organization of leaders of thought in Ochasiato communities’ home and abroad, has given its support on the ongoing calls on the Imo State governor to come to the rescue of the area by constructing new concrete bridge and reconstructing the road from Ezerioha Junction in Orlu main town straight to the Orasi bridge then up to Obodoukwu, Urualla and Uzubi communities in Ideato-North LGA of the state.
The group said doing the road will further increase socioeconomic activities and raise the value of investments, lands and development in the entire axis. The new road and bridge will further improve businesses which will translate to more ability to pay government taxes and rates
Also speaking on the need for new Orasi Bridge, a community leader in Obodoukwu community of Ideato-North; the immediate joint host community of the bridge, Comrade Agba Chukwudiebere Greg (Nnanyereugo Obodoukwu), he decried the collapse of the bridge for more than 20 years now, saying several past government had been promising to do it but always fail at last. He said many businesses have collapsed in his town due to no bridge to cross the Orasi River to sell their products.
Agba therefore called on the governor to help the entire communities in the axis by reconstructing the bridge for their socioeconomic activities especially now one of Obodouwku’s illustrious sons, Chief Dr. Onyeka Umeugo (Ijele Obodowukwu), has tarred the road from near the bridge up to Ezeobodo Market.
Further investigations show that the cost of reconstructing the entire stretch after doing the bridge has been drastically reduced as an illustrious son of Obodoukwu has done key parts of the road on Ideato axis.
