Ekezeala-Abba-Owerre Nkworji Road: Genuine Intervention That Lacks Quality

 

CHUKA UBAH 

When the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, commissioned the rehabilitated Ekezeala-Abba-Owerre Nkworji Road in March 2025, it was greeted with cheers by residents, motorists and traders across three Local Government Areas in Imo State.

 

For many, the project signaled a shift in perception of the Commission from being a transactional agency to a transformational one, genuinely committed to infrastructure renewal and sustainable development in the Niger Delta.

Under the current Management Board led by Board Chairman, Mr. Chiedu Ebie, and Managing Director, Chief Samuel Ogbuku, PhD, the NDDC has shown renewed commitment to completing long-abandoned projects and delivering relief to communities that have yearned for development for years. The Commission has, no doubt, remained a strong catalyst for impact, capacity building, urban renewal and infrastructural development.

 

That expectation was reinforced on Wednesday, March 6, 2025, when the NDDC, in partnership with the Imo State Government, commissioned the approximately 7.6km Ekezeala-Abba-Owerre Nkworji Road, complete with a triple-cell culvert at the Nwandorogu River, a natural boundary between Abba in Nwangele LGA and Owerre Nkworji in Nkwerre LGA.

 

The road, which connects Ekezeala in Isiala Mbano, Abba in Nwangele and Owerre Nkworji in Nkwerre, was seen as more than just asphalt. It was expected to rekindle cultural ties, strengthen communal bonds and stimulate economic activities by providing access to markets, healthcare facilities, schools and farmlands.

At commissioning, it was believed that the reconstruction was executed with strict adherence to quality specifications and solid road construction standards by West Fargo Global Services Ltd, a conglomerate of Grapik Engineering Ltd, hitherto known for its track record of strictly adhering to job descriptions, renewing the confidence of road users and community stakeholders.

 

However, just one year and a few months after commissioning, the road is already showing signs of distress, raising serious questions about the quality of work done.

Findings on different stretches of the road show clear defects. In some sections, the asphalt appears to have been poured directly on water-logged areas without a proper stone base. In other parts, the new asphalt was merely overlaid on the old, failed surface without proper scraping and preparation.

 

The situation is more glaring as one approaches the bridge linking Abba and Owerre Nkworji. The asphalt is already wearing off, becoming uneven and washed off by erosion. On the bridge itself, the surface has opened up, exposing the red laterite base and making the stretch difficult for motorists.

Commuters who ply the road daily now fear that with the expected increase in vehicular movement during the yuletide season, the road may become completely impassable if urgent intervention is not carried out.

While the intervention by the NDDC and the Imo State Government was genuine and commendable, residents argue that genuine intention must be matched with quality execution. A road that fails within 15 months of commissioning defeats the purpose of intervention and amounts to a waste of public resources.

Stakeholders are therefore, calling on the NDDC and the Imo State Government to immediately revisit the project, compel the contractor, West Fargo Global Services Ltd, a conglomerate of Grapik Engineering Ltd owned by High Chief Johnbosco Ozigbu, back to site and ensure that future rehabilitations in the area meet premium engineering standards that can withstand heavy traffic and the region’s challenging terrain.

 

For the people within the Ekezeala, Abba and Owerre Nkworji axis, the road remains a lifeline. They want it to last.