Anguish as Students of College of Health Sciences Unizik, Otolo, Nnewi, Groan over Bad Roads
…Send SoS To Soludo, Say Mere Trekking Can Easily Trigger Acute Tachycardia
By Mmaduabuchi Onwumelu
The students and lecturers of the College of Health Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Okofia, Otolo Nnewi Campus; residents; motorists and commuters from the various parts of the area, have continued to lament the deplorable state of the roads leading to the institution, which, according to them, has perennially, caused untold hardship over the past decade.
Mmaduabuchi Onwumelu, who has been monitoring some of the roads in Okofia, Otolo, especially the exit and entry points of the Nnewi Campus of the University, and the movements and activities of the Management, lecturers, non-academic staff and students of the institution, can authoritatively report that the hardship being faced by these very vital members of Nigerian society is not deserving of a medical school and its staff members.
One member of staff who pleaded anonymity, said the road infrastructure had completely collapsed.
‘The most shameful aspect of it is that in this season of rains, the roads have all collapsed and are getting completely washed away, causing gullies and the area being cut off from the rest of Anambra State and modern civilization.
‘The students, lecturers, and residents of that section of Otolo are facing grim times on their heritage in no distant future.
‘It has become comparable to the Songs of Lamentation for years now from students, lecturers, okada riders, motorists and commuters plying the roads due to the chaotic situation occasioned by bad and collapsed roads, as well as terrible potholes across all the three major roads leading to this most vital medical school in Anambra State with the motto: ”Light of the Nation”,’ she said.
‘Each of the three different approaches to the campus is presently competing for attention in their uniform level of dilapidation and shame.
Administratively, it is the duty of the Anambra State Government to construct access roads to every facility in the state. Also, it is the duty of the Federal Government to construct the internal road networks and structures within the confines of their own institution wherever they are located. It is just like the Vatican City is to Italy.
‘You cannot ask the Pope to do access roads in Italy leading to the Independent State of the Vatican City; Not at all. But, once you come into the Vatican, it becomes the responsibility of the Pope to construct and control its internal networks,’ insisted that member of staff.
A local resident noted that several female students had been blocked on those roads and carted away to unknown locations in the bushes around and raped serially. ‘Unfortunately, most of them will not be willing to open up to the press and public.
You make your private inquiry,’ he said, noting that two years ago, the state Governor had been taken on a tour of the roads and he promised to rehabilitate them. He said that for some reasons, despite the Governor’s promises, the entire road project has been inexplicably ignored till date.
‘The situation has practically brought lectures, businesses and other activities to a crawl as students, motorists, commuters spend several hours to get to their lecture halls and offices which normally should take not more than ten minutes. As a result of the situation, commercial motorcycle operators have hiked transport fares to over 300 per cent, thus inflicting more pains on the already depressed students.
‘For instance, the road leading to the small gate and the one leading to the main gate are in pitiable conditions. The road serves as a link to all the faculties and departments and also connects down to the ever busy major road.
‘The importance of this road is inestimable as it helps to reduce the sufferings of the students, Management, staff, lecturers, commuters and residents coming into the school.
‘Due to the deplorable state of the above roads, it has been lamentations from students, lecturers, residents; especially car owners, over persistent vehicle damage and loss of man hours daily as a result of the deplorable state of the road,’ the resident said.
Some of the students who spoke on the condition of anonymity to Mmaduabuchi Onwumelu, were counting their losses daily, including being late to lectures, missing important events in the school, soaking of their white uniforms in the mud and trekking long distances to school. They said there had been a hike in transportation owing to the sorry state of the roads.
They also expressed bitterness over the state of their school roads, saying that hoodlums were capitalizing on it to steal, rape, and carry out all manner of despicable acts.
They appeal to Governor Chukwuma Soludo to urgently come to their rescue as they were facing untold hardship as a result of the poor condition of the roads.
‘We are calling on our Governor to save us from this agony and lamentations. The dilapidated state of the roads leading to our centre of learning has now rendered the roads impassable.
‘Your Excellency, the poor state of these roads have become a nightmare for us. It is no longer motorable and we are crying out loud!
‘The road has been like this for some time now. This road has been impassable. The road is almost being neglected for a long time as much as I can remember. The students and the entire Nnewi Citizens affected are suffering and we are pleading that our working Governor comes to our rescue,’ they pleaded.
A resident who only gave his name as Sunday, narrated the hardship residents encountered on a daily basis. Pointing at a car parked in his compound, probably for some months, he said, ‘This is my car. I visit the mechanics almost every day and it got to a point I decided to just park it there, all because of this road.
‘From the major road there to here, and to the school inside, and back to up to small and main entrances of the school, the story is the same. No drainage system and no roads. So we just accept our fate. Whether it’s rainy season or dry season, the story remains the same for us,’ he said.
He however called on the Government of Anambra State led by Governor Chukwuma Soludo to create time to personally visit the area for personal assessment of what they pass through daily.
A scene at the small and main gates witnessed by Mmaduabuchi Onwumelu, really called for the immediate attention of the government.
