Barr. Okey Ezea, the Senator representing Enugu North Senatorial District in the National Assembly, on Saturday, identified the deplorable state of the Otukpo-Obollo Afor-Opi-9th Mile Road as the cause of food insecurity in Southern Nigeria.
Ezea, who said that 80% of the food items consumed in Southern Nigeria come from the North, added that prices of foodstuffs have skyrocketed in the zone due to the impassable nature of the aforementioned road which serves as the only gateway from North to South.
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He made the disclosure during a Town Hall Meeting organized by the member representing Nsukka/Igbo-Eze South Federal Constituency in the House of the Representatives, Hon. Chidi Obetta, to interact with his constituents.
The Senator who said that the attention of the Federal Government has been drawn to the road through motions moved by the lawmakers from the Senatorial District added “The cost of transporting a full trailer load of yam from Zaki Biam in Benue State to Southern Nigeria is higher than the cost of the yam because of the bad state of Otukpo-Obollo Afor-Opi-9th Mile Road. We are hungry in Southern Nigeria because of the current condition of that road.”
In his address to his constituents, Hon. Obetta, who is also the Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Legislative Budget and Research, said that the town hall meeting became necessary in order to identify areas of needs of the constituents.
Hon. Obetta who also opened two constituency offices at Nsukka, and Igbo-Eze South Local Government Areas of Enugu State, equally appointed 36 Special Assistants to aid his interactions with his constituents across the 36 wards in the Constituency.
He equally identified 91 projects across in the Constituency and pledged to tackle them head on.
The Town Hall Meeting was attended by critical stakeholders in the Constituency including the Vice Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Charles Igwe, who was represented by his Deputy, Prof. Pat Okpoko; the Labour Party gubernatorial candidate in Enugu State, Chijioke Edeoga; member, representing Igbo-Eze North/Udenu Federal Constituency, Hon. Dennis Agbo.
Others include church leaders; traditional rulers and leaders of labour unions in the state, including members of the Enugu State House of Assembly.
