Give us access road, traditional ruler, Anam people cry, decry destruction of crops by flood

By Alphonsus Nweze, Onitsha

The traditional ruler of Eziora Anam in Anambra West Local Government Area of Anambra State, Igwe Nwoji Ben Onyeka, has joined the calls by his people for the Federal and State Governments to provide access road to the farming communities of Anam.
Speaking during the celebration of Otteh (New Yam) festival by Umuikwu, Anam residents in Okpanam, Delta State, the traditional ruler who was represented by his son, Prince Nnamdi Onyeka, lamented the absence of access roads to Anam communities in Anambra West Local Government Area of the State
He requested for two things from both Federal and State Governments to boast their farming activities which they are known for, access to fertilizer and provision of access road to Eziora -Anam especially Umuikwu.
He also lamented that Anambra West Local Government is the only Local Government in the State without access road, saying that the only way they access the outside world is through the water, which has limited their agricultural activities.
” We are asking for two things from Federal and Anambra State Governments, one is that we need fertilizer,another is to open up Anambra West” said Eze dioranma n’Ezi Anam.
Continuing the traditional ruler said: “We produce food without evacuating them.They rot away because most times we have problem evacuating them to Onitsha,Asaba and other places to sell them. We have only one means of transportation, through the river”.
He said unfortunately, whenever there is flood, it submerged their farms and the crops were washed away, which makes his people to lose a lot of money they have invested in planting the crops, mostly obtained as loans.
The President of Umuikwu Anam General Assembly, Okpanam branch,Hon. Anthony Etukokwu Egwuatu, who aligned with Igwe Onyeka in his address decried the absence of road not only in Eziora Anam but the entire Anambra West Local Government.
” We don’t have road. We call on Governments, both Anambra and Federal Governments to help us construct access road to the community. We are predominantly farmers but we can’t evacuate our produce especially Umuikwu because there is no road” he lamented.
The chairman said every year their people suffer huge lose of their farm produce because there is no road to evacuate them, saying that Anambra West has the capacity to feed the entire Anambra State and beyond.
He however lauded Governor Chukwuma Soludo for his education friendly policies which have encouraged them to send their children to schools.
He promised that the Anam communities and indeed the entire Anambra West Local Government would throw their support behind Soludo in the coming November 8, 2025 governorship election in the State.
The former chairman of the Umuikwu General Assembly, Okpanam branch, Chief Nnamdi Udalor, said that they need bridge that would link Omambala river with Umuikwu, another road from Ololo to link other Anam clans.
He said former Governor Willie Obiano tried to construct road to Umuikwu but when he saw the terrain was difficult he abandoned the project, appealing to Soludo to bring his solution to rescue them in Anambra West.
Said Udalor: He has our full support in this election but he should bring his solution to Anam. We need solution in Anam.”