The chairman of Ishielu Local Government Area, Ebonyi State, Chief Sunday Eze, has flagged off the construction of the Egedegede/Nkalaha road link to Benue State.
According to the chairman, he embarked on road construction to ease the evacuation of agricultural produce by farmers in the two communities to their markets.
Eze stated this during the flagging-off of the construction of Egedegede/Nkalaha road on Wednesday.
He further disclosed that part of the reason the council was constructing the road was to show the people that they have not been abandoned after the herdsmen attack.
Egedegede, Nkalaha and Obegu communities were attacked by herdsmen last year who killed over 50 residents of the communities and burnt many houses and other valuable properties.
The three communities have bad roads which hinder the free movement of humans and vehicles.
He noted that the road would be constructed with concrete to ensure durability.
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“We have flagged-off construction of Egedegede/Nkalaha road. Before now, the terrain was too bad, it was impossible for people to go home. We have finished earthwork here during the dry season, we have finished earthwork and after that, the state governor graciously gave the people 3 km among those rural road projects the state government wants to embark on.
“But I want to start so that the governor will continue from where I stop and we are happy that the project has started today.
“These people, Egedegede and Nkalaha have boundaries with Benue State. People can access Benue State within a few minutes when we finish construction of the road. From here to Benue State is not up to 10 km. from here to the junction is 4 km.
“When we finish constructing this road, farmers will be able to sell their farm produce, that’s the most important thing and they are very rich but the access road to transport their agricultural produce remains their problems but when we finish the construction of this road, it will address the problem.
“We want to tell the people that we have not abandoned them. The people were attacked by herdsmen and they loved their dear ones in that incident last year”, he stated.
The town union president of Nkalaha community, Ikechukwu Onwa, said peace is returning to the community after the herdsmen attack last year.
“Immediately after the attack, the governor through the Council Chairman set up a vigilante and they work day and night to make sure there is no problem in the community.
“The herdsmen killed 17 persons in this Nkalaha community and they have all been compensated. Motorcycles that were burnt have all been replaced.
“The construction of this road will help us a lot. In August last year, nobody crossed this road, it was very impassible but with only the laterite, you can go to our market and come back without any problem. Our people are happy for the laterite, let alone the concrete road that is coming.”
“Coming to Ishielu we are the highest producer of Agric products; rice, cassava, yam. If our garri did not go to Nkwo Nkalagu market, there is no garri there, If our garri did not go to Eke Ehamufu, there is no garri there. Our problem is just this road.
“But we are happy with the state governor and the chairman of the local government for remembering us by resolving to construct this road”, he said.
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