Residents Urge FG To Fast-Track Makurdi-Enugu Road Dualisation After Flooding In Obollo-Afor

Residents of Obollo-Afor in Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu State have called on the Federal Government to accelerate the ongoing dualisation of the Makurdi-Oturkpo-Obollo-Afor-9th Mile road following severe flooding that affected businesses and homes in the community.

The flooding, which occurred after a heavy downpour on Monday night, reportedly resulted from the absence of functional drainage channels along the expressway, which were disrupted during the ongoing road construction.

Several properties and goods worth millions of naira were reportedly destroyed, with mechanic workshops, pubs, filling stations, business premises and residential buildings among the worst affected.

A shop owner, Emma Ozioko, said the flood destroyed goods in his shop, lamenting that the incident occurred at night when residents and business operators could do little to salvage their belongings.

While acknowledging the importance of the road dualisation project, Ozioko urged the construction company to speed up work and provide temporary drainage channels at strategic locations to prevent further flooding.

Similarly, a resident, Innocent Chukwuma, described the impact of the incident as devastating, disclosing that household items and commercial goods worth millions of naira were affected.

He called on the construction company to establish temporary water channels and drainage points to direct floodwater away from residential and commercial areas.

An engineer, Jude Ossai, also urged the authorities to prioritise construction activities around commercial locations such as Obollo-Afor, noting that the blockage of existing drainage channels contributed significantly to the flooding.

He explained that the area around Anto Bridge Filling Station had previously served as a drainage route, while debris evacuated from the Udenu roundabout was often deposited around the junction, further obstructing the free flow of water.

Another victim, Jane Ezema, confirmed that the construction company made efforts to drain the floodwater on Tuesday to minimise its impact but said another rainfall later in the afternoon worsened the situation, forcing some residents out of their homes.

The residents appealed to the Federal Government and the construction company to urgently address the drainage challenges along the corridor, warning that failure to provide adequate water channels could expose more communities and businesses to flooding.

They stressed that while the dualisation of the Makurdi-Enugu road remains important for improving transportation and connectivity, proper drainage infrastructure must be incorporated into the project to protect lives, property and economic activities along the route.