The Global Executive Committee of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, has called on the Federal Government to urgently rehabilitate and reconstruct the Owerri-Aba Expressway.
The organisation made the call while commending President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, for ongoing interventions on the First Niger Bridge and other federal road projects across the country.
In a statement signed by the factional Deputy President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, and the Acting Secretary General, Prof. Chibuikeya Achoakawa, the group said the deteriorating condition of sections of the Owerri-Aba corridor had become a serious concern to motorists, transport operators, traders, manufacturers and other road users.
Ohanaeze urged President Tinubu and the Federal Ministry of Works to give the major highway immediate attention, stressing that the road plays an important role in the economic activities of the South-East.
According to the organisation, the Owerri-Aba corridor links Owerri, a major administrative, business and transportation centre, with Aba, one of the region’s leading commercial and manufacturing hubs.
It said the highway facilitates the movement of manufactured goods, agricultural produce and passengers, while supporting inter-city commerce, small and medium-sized enterprises, industrial activities, tourism, hospitality and daily commuting.
Ohanaeze warned that the deteriorating state of the road was increasing vehicle maintenance costs, extending travel times and raising logistics expenses, while also exposing motorists and other road users to avoidable safety risks.
The group therefore called on Umahi to conduct an on-the-spot inspection of the Owerri-Aba Expressway and identify sections requiring emergency repairs, comprehensive rehabilitation, drainage correction, pavement reconstruction and other safety interventions.
Ohanaeze stressed that its request was not for preferential treatment but for adequate attention to a strategic federal highway with significant economic importance.
Ohanaeze Commends First Niger Bridge Intervention
The organisation also praised the Federal Government for its intervention on the First Niger Bridge, describing the project as evidence that critical infrastructure could receive urgent attention when the need arose.
The First Niger Bridge, which connects Anambra and Delta states, was closed to traffic on September 7 following the discovery of vandalised structural components, including bolts, nuts and portions of the expansion-joint steelwork.
Although the bridge was initially scheduled to reopen on September 21, the reopening was extended by one week due to persistent rainfall.
During an inspection of the bridge on September 23, Umahi said significant progress had been made, including the replacement and securing of vandalised bolts.
The minister also disclosed that the specialised expansion joint required for the rehabilitation had been manufactured and brought into the country for installation.
Umahi further directed additional works on the bridge, including repainting, installation of additional solar-powered streetlights, completion of CCTV surveillance and further structural assessment.
The Federal Government has said the bridge is expected to reopen next week, subject to the completion of critical rehabilitation works.
Ohanaeze said the intervention on the First Niger Bridge demonstrated the importance of prompt technical assessment, proper supervision and prioritisation of public safety.
The organisation urged the Federal Government to extend the same level of urgency to the Owerri-Aba Expressway.
“The First Niger Bridge has shown what urgency can achieve; Owerri-Aba should now receive the same urgency,” Ohanaeze said.
Group Calls For Preventive Road Maintenance
Beyond the immediate rehabilitation of the Owerri-Aba corridor, Ohanaeze called for a shift from emergency repairs to preventive maintenance of critical infrastructure.
The organisation argued that federal highways should be regularly inspected and maintained before their conditions deteriorate to the point of requiring major emergency interventions.
Ohanaeze said it would continue to acknowledge government interventions where they occur while drawing attention to infrastructure challenges affecting Ndigbo and other Nigerians.
The organisation maintained that its appeal was ultimately centred on the need for safer roads, durable infrastructure and effective maintenance of strategic federal highways across the South-East.
