The Nigerian Senate has called for the urgent rehabilitation and reconstruction of the Onitsha–Iyiowa–Odekpe–Atani–Ogwuikpele–Ndoni Federal Highway in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State, citing decades of neglect and its deteriorating condition.
The motion, sponsored by Senator Tony Nwoye, representing Anambra North Senatorial District, highlights the highway’s strategic importance as a transport corridor linking Nigeria’s South-East and South-South geopolitical zones.
Moving the motion under Orders 41 and 51 of the Senate Standing Orders, Nwoye said; ”the highway was partially constructed in the late 1980s but had not undergone major rehabilitation over the years.”
He expressed concern that ageing infrastructure, increasing traffic and inadequate maintenance had left sections of the road riddled with deep potholes, pavement failures and severe erosion.
According to the Senator, the deteriorating condition poses significant risks to commuters and other road users while disrupting transportation, commerce and other economic activities in affected communities.
He noted that the poor state of the road had increased travel time and transportation costs, explaining that ”a journey of about 70 kilometres from Onitsha to Ogbaru and Ndoni, which should take approximately one hour, now takes nearly two hours.”
Nwoye also highlighted frequent vehicle breakdowns and prolonged delays, warning that stranded motorists face increased exposure to accidents and security risks.
Beyond its importance to commuters, the lawmaker in the motion described the highway as ”a vital economic corridor supporting agricultural value chains, interstate commerce and oil and gas exploration and production within the Ogbaru oil belt.”
He warned that continued deterioration could discourage investment, undermine regional integration and disrupt the movement of goods and services between the South-East and South-South.
The Senator further cautioned that failure to address the situation could worsen the hardship faced by residents of Anambra and Rivers states, increase transportation costs and affect businesses and oil-related operations that depend on the route.
To address the problem, Nwoye urged the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) to carry out emergency repairs on failed and impassable sections pending comprehensive rehabilitation and reconstruction.
Alternatively, he proposed that the South-East Development Commission or the Federal Ministry of Works intervene through an emergency repair programme.
The motion also called on the Federal Ministry of Works to begin comprehensive rehabilitation and reconstruction through a special intervention programme or another appropriate funding arrangement.
In addition, it proposed that the Senate Committee on Works conduct an on-the-spot assessment, engage relevant stakeholders and report back to the Senate within four weeks with recommendations.
Budgetary provision
The Senate Committees on Works and Appropriations were urged to ensure adequate budgetary provision for the project.
The proposed intervention seeks to improve road safety, reduce travel time and transportation costs, and restore efficient movement of people and goods along the corridor.
It also aims to support economic activities and strengthen connectivity between the South-East and South-South regions.
