ABAVO/Nigeria: The people of Abavo Kingdom in Ika South Local Government Area of Delta State have renewed calls on the Federal Government to urgently complete the abandoned dualization of the Agbor-Amukpe section of the Uromi-Amukpe Road, describing its decade-long neglect as a grave security risk and a stumbling block to economic development.
Addressing a press conference in Abavo on Friday, the President General of Abavo Clan Union, Mr. Justine Onyeibe, lamented that the project, awarded in 2014 and abandoned after partial mobilization, has turned the strategic highway into a nightmare for commuters and farmers.
“The state of this road is not just an inconvenience; it is the single greatest enabler of criminal activity in our region,” Onyeibe declared. “The terrible, potholed stretches have become kidnapper’s hunting grounds, forcing vehicles to crawl and making passengers easy targets.”
He explained that the abandoned road has crippled the community’s agricultural economy, as farmers are unable to transport produce such as yams, cassava, plantains, tomatoes and vegetables to markets in Warri, Benin, Lagos and beyond. According to him, tons of perishable crops now rot by the roadside, discouraging young people from farming and stifling commerce.
“This abandoned road has killed commerce, discouraged investors, and forced our youth to see farming as poverty instead of opportunity,” Onyeibe said. “With a dual carriageway, our crops will reach markets in hours, not days. Agro-processing factories, packaging plants, and new businesses will spring up in Abavo, creating jobs and prosperity for our people.”
Onyeibe further noted that the road’s completion would improve access to healthcare and education while boosting tourism. He said festivals such as the New Yam, Igue and Ikaba could attract large numbers of visitors if the town were more accessible.
Describing the project as “a covenant with the people of Abavo,” the community leader urged both the Federal and State governments to prioritize its completion and called on contractors to return to site without delay. He also appealed to the media to continue amplifying the plight of the affected communities until the long-awaited road is delivered.
“We are not just asking for asphalt and concrete, we are demanding a future where our wealth is not trapped in the soil, but harvested, transported, and multiplied,” Onyeibe concluded.
