Ebem Ohafia Road: FENRAD urges GODA to Act, demands public disclosure of infrastructure funds

Nkem Ukaegbu, Umuahia

Foundation for Environmental Rights Advocacy and Development (FENRAD), Nigeria, has called on the Greater Ohafia Development Authority (GODA) and the Abia State Government to urgently rehabilitate the deteriorating Ebem Ohafia access road and address associated drainage, erosion and environmental challenges affecting the community.

FENRAD, in a statement signed by its Executive Director, Comrade Nelson Nnanna Nwafor, also demanded greater transparency and public oversight of budgetary allocations and expenditure on infrastructure and environmental projects within the Greater Ohafia development area.

The organisation said the poor condition of the Ebem Ohafia access road has implications beyond transportation, noting that deteriorating roads, inadequate drainage and uncontrolled stormwater can contribute to erosion, flooding, soil instability, damage to adjoining properties and farmlands and other environmental and public-health concerns.

According to FENRAD, the authorities should conduct a comprehensive engineering, environmental and ecological assessment of the affected road corridors and surrounding communities before implementing appropriate remediation measures.

Road rehabilitation must include environmental protection

FENRAD stressed that road infrastructure should be considered within a broader environmental framework, arguing that simply filling potholes or resurfacing roads without addressing drainage and erosion could offer only temporary relief.

It called for the construction and rehabilitation of functional stormwater drains and culverts, appropriate discharge points, stabilisation of vulnerable road shoulders and embankments, erosion-control structures, vegetative restoration where necessary and regular maintenance of drainage channels.

The group also urged the authorities to protect natural waterways from excessive sedimentation and identify erosion-prone areas before they develop into major ecological hazards.

“Erosion control must be preventative, not merely reactive,” FENRAD said, warning that small drainage failures could develop into major gullies capable of damaging roads, homes, agricultural land and other community assets.

FENRAD identifies wider environmental concerns

The environmental rights organisation also called for a wider assessment of ecological challenges associated with infrastructure development and land-use changes in Ebem Ohafia.

It identified flooding and stormwater management, soil erosion and land degradation, sedimentation of waterways, loss of vegetation, blocked drainage channels, waste management, dust pollution and climate resilience as areas requiring attention.

FENRAD said infrastructure planning should take into account changing rainfall patterns and intense precipitation events, with roads and drainage systems designed for long-term resilience rather than short-term functionality.

It further advocated responsible management of construction and excavated materials, dust-control measures during construction and maintenance and protection of nearby streams, farmlands and other ecological assets.

Group Demands Immediate Remediation
FENRAD urged GODA and the relevant Abia State authorities to immediately: Undertake a comprehensive engineering, environmental and ecological assessment of the Ebem Ohafia access road; Remediate severely degraded and dangerous sections of the road; Construct, rehabilitate and maintain appropriate drainage systems and culverts;
Implement erosion-control measures along vulnerable road sections and shoulders.

Identify and address flood-prone areas and uncontrolled stormwater pathways; Stabilise degraded soil and embankments and undertake ecological restoration where appropriate; Protect streams, waterways and farmlands from sedimentation and construction-related pollution; Properly manage construction and excavated materials; Adopt dust-control measures;
Apply climate-resilient engineering standards; and establish a transparent and publicly accessible maintenance programme after rehabilitation.

FENRAD demands transparency in infrastructure spending

Beyond the physical condition of the road, FENRAD called for greater transparency concerning budgetary allocations, releases and expenditure by GODA and other public institutions responsible for infrastructure and environmental interventions within Greater Ohafia.

The group said residents have a legitimate right to know how public funds allocated for roads, drainage, erosion control and other development projects are planned, released, contracted, utilised and monitored.

It therefore called for the public disclosure, subject to applicable laws, of relevant information on budgetary allocations, funds released and expenditure incurred, approved projects and their implementation status, contractors and implementing entities, contract sums, project timelines and scopes of work.

It also requested information on engineering and environmental assessments, erosion-control and ecological safeguards incorporated into projects, as well as monitoring, evaluation and maintenance arrangements.

FENRAD urged the Abia State House of Assembly and other relevant oversight and accountability institutions to exercise effective oversight over public expenditure associated with infrastructure and environmental management in Greater Ohafia.

The organisation clarified that its demand for transparency should not be construed as an allegation of financial misconduct against GODA or any individual, but as a civil-society call for accountability, environmental responsibility and value for public money.

Community participation advocated

FENRAD also called for meaningful participation by residents, traditional institutions, community development associations, farmers, youth groups, environmental organisations and other stakeholders in infrastructure planning and monitoring.

According to the group, community members possess valuable knowledge about recurrent flooding points, erosion pathways, failed culverts, degraded waterways and other environmental challenges.

It said incorporating such local knowledge into project design and monitoring could improve infrastructure outcomes, strengthen accountability and ensure that interventions address actual community needs.

‘Development must be sustainable’

FENRAD said the establishment of GODA should translate into tangible improvements in safe roads, functional drainage, erosion control, ecological protection and sustainable infrastructure for communities within Greater Ohafia.

The organisation maintained that development should not create new environmental liabilities for communities, warning that roads reconstructed without adequate drainage, erosion control and environmental safeguards could deteriorate again and lead to repeated public expenditure.

FENRAD therefore urged GODA to adopt an integrated approach in which road construction, drainage, erosion management, ecological restoration and community resilience are treated as interconnected development priorities.

The group said it remained committed to constructive engagement with GODA, the Abia State Government, local communities and other stakeholders toward achieving environmentally sustainable, accountable and equitable development in Greater Ohafia.