Maazi Obinna Akuwudike has called on Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, to urgently address the deteriorating condition of roads across the state, warning that the governor should not allow his predecessor, Senator Rochas Okorocha, to be perceived as having performed better in road maintenance.
Akuwudike made the remarks in a video published on social media, where he assessed the Uzodimma administration and raised concerns over the condition of roads in various parts of Imo State.
While acknowledging what he described as the positive steps taken by Uzodimma since assuming office, Akuwudike said the governor started his administration on what he considered the right note, particularly against the background of the condition of the state he said was inherited from previous administrations.
He argued that Uzodimma came into office at a time when Imo was facing significant infrastructural challenges and credited the governor with taking steps aimed at reversing what he described as a period of infrastructural decline.
According to him, one of the decisions that initially gave him confidence in the administration was the revival of the Imo State Road Maintenance Agency (IROMA).
IROMA was originally established during the administration of former Governor Ikedi Ohakim to undertake road maintenance across the state's 27 local government areas. In January 2025, Uzodimma appointed an eight-member board for the agency after what was described as many years of its absence.
Akuwudike said he was particularly pleased when the Uzodimma administration moved to revive the agency, arguing that a dedicated road-maintenance institution could help preserve roads after their construction or rehabilitation.
However, he expressed disappointment over what he described as the limited visible impact of IROMA since its revival.
He questioned why, despite the reactivation of the agency, many roads across the state were still experiencing varying degrees of deterioration.
According to Akuwudike, the issue is not necessarily about the construction of major roads alone but also about having an effective system for maintaining roads after they have been constructed.
He therefore urged Uzodimma to give greater attention to IROMA and ensure that the agency becomes fully operational and capable of responding quickly to deteriorating roads.
His comments come against the backdrop of the Uzodimma administration's extensive infrastructure programme. The state government has highlighted the reconstruction and rehabilitation of several major roads, including the Owerri-Orlu and Owerri-Okigwe corridors, while the Federal Government's State House media tour in July 2026 also highlighted completed and ongoing infrastructure projects in Imo.
Akuwudike, however, appeared to distinguish between major road construction projects and routine road maintenance, stressing that the latter must not be neglected.
He warned that failure to address the maintenance issue could affect the positive perception he said the governor had built among sections of the public.
He specifically pointed to the welfare of Imo workers and other aspects of the administration which, in his view, had contributed to Uzodimma's standing with residents, arguing that deteriorating roads could undermine those gains.
Security Concerns
Beyond infrastructure, Akuwudike identified insecurity as what he described as the major area where he believed the Uzodimma administration had faced difficulties.
His comments came shortly after the abduction of prospective National Youth Service Corps members travelling through Imo State.
On October 1, 2026, gunmen attacked two buses carrying prospective corps members and other passengers along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in the Umunoha area of Mbaitoli Local Government Area. The Imo State Police Command confirmed the incident and said tactical teams had been deployed for rescue operations.
Police subsequently reported that security operatives had located the suspected camp where some of the abducted victims were being held. However, the operation was complicated by intelligence indicating that improvised explosive devices had been planted around the location.
Against this background, Akuwudike argued that the state needed to explore additional approaches to tackling insecurity, particularly in forested areas where criminal groups are believed to operate.
He suggested that people familiar with the forests and surrounding communities could be incorporated into a structured forest-guard system, arguing that such local knowledge could assist security agencies in identifying and monitoring difficult-to-access areas.
Akuwudike said, in his view, greater attention to the forests could have helped prevent incidents such as the recent abduction of the prospective corps members.
His suggestion was presented as part of a broader call for the state government to strengthen its security strategy and improve the protection of residents and travellers using major roads across the state.
Call for Greater Attention to Road Maintenance
The central message of Akuwudike's intervention was his appeal to Uzodimma to ensure that the revival of IROMA translates into visible and sustained road maintenance across Imo.
He maintained that the governor had taken steps which he viewed positively since assuming office but warned that the administration must not allow road deterioration to become a major source of public dissatisfaction.
His remarks also revive an issue that has featured in discussions about road maintenance in Imo for years. Former Governor Ikedi Ohakim had previously called for the return of IROMA during the administration of Rochas Okorocha, citing concerns about the condition of rural roads and the need to maintain completed projects.
Akuwudike's intervention therefore combines recognition of the infrastructure projects undertaken under Uzodimma with a demand for stronger attention to maintenance and security.
He ultimately urged the governor to look beyond the construction of new roads and ensure that existing infrastructure is preserved, while also intensifying efforts to secure highways and forest areas across the state.
The comments are contained in a video published by Maazi Obinna Akuwudike in which he directly addressed the governor and discussed his assessment of the administration's record on roads, workers' welfare and security.
Watch the video below.