Ogbonnaya Ikokwu, Umuahia
The people of Ahuwa-Oboro Community in the Ikwuano Local Government Area of Abia State say they have not felt government’s presence despite the support they gave to elected officers in the state.
The community cried out over the absence of electricity, access road, potable water and other basic amenities.
The President-General of Ahuwo-Oboro Community, Mr. James Uchegbuo, who spoke with newsmen on the situation, lamented that absence of electricity was posing a serious threat to the survival of many community members who were artisans, such as vulcanizers, barbers, welders etc.
He said the rate of child and mother mortality remained high in the community due to the absence of a functional health centre.
According to him, the existing health facility in the community had not been completed since the government took it over from the community in the name of local government-assisted project.”
Also speaking, the Chairman of Umuagwu Village, Mr. Morgan Azor, noted that the nearest primary healthcare centre located in Umuigu community was about seven kilometres from Ahuwa.
He appealed to the government to come to the aid of the community, as they had been recording preventable deaths, of which the aged were the major victims.
A member of the Council of Elders, Pastor Friday Awazie, lamented the plight of the people of Umuagwu, who he said were having difficulty in accessing the Ndioro Market where they trade.
Awazie said the community had, on many occasions, written to the government, the office of state Secretary General, without any positive response, but endless assurances.
He remarked that the community had the capacity of feeding Ikwuano/Umuahia, if government could provide access roads.
The Secretary-General Ahuwa Youth Development Union, Mr. Monday Samuel, said the main road in the community was last graded by the government over 20 years ago, adding that the community members always embarked on self-help to fix their roads.
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