Farmers and residents of Ebu Community in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State have appealed to the Federal and Delta State governments to urgently repair the roads linking the community to neighbouring towns, saying the poor road network is crippling farming and economic activities.
The residents said the community, which is known for large-scale agricultural production, has become increasingly isolated as both the federal and state roads leading to Ebu have deteriorated and are no longer motorable.
According to them, the bad roads have made it difficult for farmers to transport their produce to markets, while traders, students and other commuters now struggle to travel to neighbouring communities such as Ezi, Ukala and Issele-Uku.
Residents said the major road serving the community was constructed more than 30 years ago during the administration of former Delta State Governor, Chief James Ibori, but has since fallen into disrepair.
They explained that several sections of the road have collapsed, making movement slow, difficult and expensive.
One of the residents said repeated appeals to the relevant authorities over the years had not yielded results.
“For many years, we have cried out over the condition of our roads, yet little or nothing has been done. Today, Ebu is practically cut off from neighbouring communities because both the federal and state roads are no longer motorable,” the resident said.
The people said the poor condition of the roads has increased transport fares, reduced access to markets and made daily life more difficult for residents.
They also lamented the lack of other basic infrastructure, saying the community has continued to suffer neglect despite being part of Delta State.
Residents therefore urged both the Federal Government and the Delta State Government to urgently reconstruct the failed road corridors and provide other essential infrastructure to improve living conditions and revive economic activities in the area.
They expressed hope that government intervention would restore easy access to the community and enable farmers to transport their produce without the challenges they currently face.
