The traditional ruler of Ntalakwu Ancient Kingdom in Itumbauzor, Bende Local Government Area of Abia State, Eze Chike Okorie, has appealed to the Federal Government and Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, to urgently address the poor condition of the Umuokpe Ntalakwu road and the lack of potable water in his community.

The monarch, a retired Deputy Superintendent of Police, said the deteriorating road and water crisis had compounded the economic difficulties and health challenges facing residents.

Speaking to DAILY POST about the situation, Eze Okorie said indigenes living in urban areas now find it difficult to travel to the community, while residents in the village face challenges accessing basic amenities outside the area.

He appealed to both levels of government to rehabilitate the Umuokpe Ntalakwu road, saying the poor condition of the route had contributed to a sharp decline in economic activities in the community.

According to him, the situation is particularly troubling because most residents depend on farming for their livelihood.

The monarch recalled a recent incident in which a vehicle conveying the remains of a female relative to the community became trapped in mud along one of the dangerous sections of the road.

He said youths were eventually forced to carry the casket on their heads to the burial venue.

“Recently, the corpse of our female granddaughter, which was being brought into my community before her burial, as the tradition demands, got stuck because of the deplorable condition of the road,” he lamented.

Eze Okorie noted that while the Abia State Government and Federal Government were carrying out road projects in other parts of the state, his community should not be left behind to endure the consequences of the poor road and lack of potable water.

He also raised concerns over the community’s dependence on a stream as its major source of water.

“My community drinks and bathes from the same community stream because we don’t have any other source, and this is dangerous to the health of my people. We need help,” he said.

Also appealing for government intervention, the President-General of Umuokpe Ntalakwu Concerned Citizens, William Osondu, and the Women Leader, Divine Uka, said residents were facing increasing difficulties accessing schools and the community market.

They further disclosed that pupils sometimes fall while attempting to navigate the steep and badly damaged sections of the road, highlighting the difficulties faced by residents who depend on the route for their daily activities.