By Charles Okogene
Presently in Owerri, the capital of Imo State a three bedroom flat goes for as much as N3.6m or more; just like Lagos and Abuja.
This is so because most people want to live in Owerri. These are people who ought to live in the neighbouring Umuahia the capital of Abia State or the villages surrounding the two states’ capitals. And the urge to live in Owerri has pushed up rents with shylock landlords berthing no eyelids while asking for the outrageous rent.
To try and arrest this development, the Governor of Imo State, Sen Hope Uzodimma has embarked on the journey of rehabilitation of the Owerri- Mbaise- Umuahia road, which has been in a state of disrepair and largely unmotorable for years.
The governor’s decision to make it motorable is his thinking that with the road in good condition, it will not only reduce travel time from Owerri through Mbaise to Umuahia but will compel many residents to either live in Umuahia or Mbaise instead of congregating in Owerri, which is already crowded as the seat of the state government.
The laudable project will also improve the economic situation of towns and villages along the road, including Mbaise, as the people will access Owerri and Umuahia with their farm produce.
“When the road is delivered, one can convinently live in Mbaise or Umuhai and work or trade in Owerri or vice-versa,” a top aide on the governor who spoke to this writer while speaking on another project, Oguta/Orashi river dredging, that the governor attracted and, which the Vice President, Osinbanjo will commission on Thursday.
If and when the road is completed, Uzodimma who is standing election for a second term would have, more than ever before, endeared himself more to the people of heartland.
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Uzodimma who has been applauded by the people, the clergy and other stakeholders of the State as a governor who came prepared to rescue the State from buccaneers and past governors of the State who confiscated the masses lands, share it among themselves, is not giving up until Imo becomes what it was known for in the days of De Sam Mbakwe and this writer is in a hurry to see Ndi Imo and Abia drive smoothly on the Owerri- Mbaise- Umuahia road.
