The people of Uwessan, a community that comprises of eight villages, are not happy. What pained them is that they see communities around them enjoy basic amenities such as good road network, electricity and water but they are still yearning for government to come to their aid.
Uwessan is located in Esan Central local government. It is a boundary community between Estako West and Esan North East local government areas in Edo State. Indigenous of Uwessan are mainly farmers but they find it difficult to convey their farm produce to where they could sell for profits because the main road connecting the community to other communities is an eye sore.
The road which connects from Utako in Esan North East through Ujabhole to other communities in Uwessan is about 21 kilometers. It is supposed to reduce travel to Abuja from the Eastern part of the country without motorist getting to Ewu along the Benin-Auchi express road. The road however cuts off at Utako and has been overtaken by weeds. Residents who live opposite each other along the road cannot walk through to the other side.
Side drains constructed on the road and was abandoned have collapsed. The drainage was said to have been constructed in 2005 by the then Chairman of Esan Central, Okhai Enegbo but was stopped because of funding.
Residents in the area blamed former Minister of Works, Mike Onolememen for the collapsed side drains because flood water from Uromi was channelled to the drains. Besides, they said the former Minister focused on building roads within Uromi and environs without extending same to other local government.
Apart from the inaccessible road to Uwessan, the residents said access to portable water has remained a mirage to them since the days of Awolowo. Water tap erected in the community many years ago still stand but no water.
Charles Akhere, a businessman, said his house used to be a like a fighting spot during the dry season as people struggle to get free water.
According to him, “This road is appalling when you are going from Utako to all the villages. We have no business following another long route. Uwessan as a whole, there is no road. We go through another road.”
“When it is time for campaign, you see politicians here. It has affected development of Uwessan. Good road network is vital to development. If the road were good, those places where you find bushes, people would have built houses. A journey of five minutes would take you longer hours. It has affected business and our farmers are mainly affected.”
“We don’t have a single borehole dug by either the state or local government in the whole of Uwessan. During dry season, you see my house like a war front because people are looking for water. There are no teachers in the secondary school here. Oshiomhole has renovated the primary school but our grammar school is appalling. I built house for female corpers here. It is at Uwessan you find the worst road in Esanland”.
Vice Chairman of Uwessan Youth Movement, Henshaw Oligbi, described the situation as pathetic. He said vehicles stopped playing the road for the past 16 years.
His words, “That is the original road to access Uwessan Community. It was the original road connecting Southern and Northern part of the country via Auchi before it was diverted to Ekpoma-Ewu-Auchi road. For the past 16 years, the road has been abandoned. Successive government has promised to construct the road for us but after election, we will not see them again.”
“During the days of Action Group, we were told politicians used the road to campaign but nothing was done. We are farmers but no road to move our products to the market. Uwessan is made up of eight communities but the road is our headache. We have been neglected for so long that we don’t have government presence in our communities. All the developmental structures were through self help or through our sons who excelled in their chosen careers.”
“The electricity was brought by late Sunday Okoduwa. Uwessan has the highest population in Esan land. Oshiomhole promised to construct the road during his second term electioneering campaign. We need govern-ment to construct the road so that we would stop passing through long distance.”
Paul Iyoha, Ujabhole community youth president, said, “This is the only access road we have that lead to the eight villages in Uwessan. We have not been passing that road for many years now.”
The road has been in a deplorable condition. There is no accessible road in the whole of Uwessan. You see lorries falling off the road. We have paid our taxes and it is government time to help us. We have been trying through self help. Flood water from Uromi destroyed the whole drainage that was constructed. There is no pipe borne water. The last time we had water was during the days of Awolowo. Since the water scheme broke down, we have not had water. We get water from wells.”
Retired Commissioner of Police, Young Emmanuel Arebamen, said it was bad politics that caused the situation of the road linking Uwessan to other communities.
Arebamen said the Auchi expressed road was diverted to pass through Agbede by powerful politicians even when the colonial masters saw that the stretch of road between Ewu-Agebde and Auchi was swampy and not suitable for road construction.
According to him, “The only solid road in that axis is through my village. I am surprised that what politicians promised my forefathers, they are promising my children in my presence.”
“Our people are suffering. Nobody can go there and buy anything. The schools were built by our collective effort. What is the essence of government? We want Oshiomhole to come and work in our community.”
Edo community to govt: give us good roads
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