Okezie Ikpeazu, the Abia State Governor, has ordered the renovation of the Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene Road following the recent protest by students of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU), Abia State, over the death of Chidinma Ogbonna, a final year student at the institution.

Ogbonna, from the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management, was returning to school for a new academic session on Sunday when a truck avoiding potholes crushed her to death.

During the protest over the incident, the students lamented that the road had become a death trap for them.

“This is not the first time we are recording death on that road. In fact, I have lost count,” said Chukwuma Ugochukwu, the President of the Students Union Government (SUG) of the university.

“We lost another lady, Blessing Kalu, a student of the College of Management Sciences of MOUAU three days after finishing her exams in August.”

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In response to the demonstration, Ikpeazu, through a statement signed by John Okiyi Kalu, the state Commissioner of Information, “directed PUMECO Construction Company to move in on Wednesday, 6th day of October 2021, to fix all the failed portion of the federal road”.

The university’s management also offered condolences to the family of the deceased, adding that the school was appealing to the government to prevent future occurrences.

“In the past few weeks, the Vice-Chancellor, through his Special Assistant on Projects, Engr. Richard Onyeaso, invited the local FERMA for an inspection of the bad spots, took pictorial evidence, and prepared a strong appeal letter to FERMA,” Adanma Odefa, the university’s spokesman, said in a press statement.

“The VC personally took these documents to FERMA headquarters in Abuja to make further physical appeals. His efforts were rewarded with an official approval of palliative work to begin on the road.”