The Students’ Union Government of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State, has issued an appeal to both federal and state authorities over the dilapidated condition of major access roads leading to the university.
According to the students, the situation has not only crippled academic life but also exposed them to growing insecurity and economic hardship.
It was said that drivers under the National Union of Road Transport Workers in FUTO are reportedly grappling with frequent vehicle breakdowns caused by the poor road conditions, forcing them to increase transport fares.
This was disclosed in a statement co-signed by the SUG President, Blessed Ogbonna, and the Secretary General, Opara Prince, and made available Online on Tuesday.
Our university community is trapped in a harrowing reality where the very roads meant to connect us to education have become a perilous nightmare, endangering academic pursuits, crippling our finances, and escalating the threat of insecurity,” the statement read.
The union pointed specifically to the Obinze–FUTO front gate road and the Ihiagwa–FUTO back gate road as the worst-hit, describing them as “vital lifelines” now reduced to dangerous, impassable paths.
The SUG President stated that the Ihiagwa road has remained a disaster zone “for what feels like an eternity,” with no meaningful effort to fix it.
He added that the Obinze road, the main artery to the campus, had been “completely impassable for over four agonising months due to abandoned construction,” saying the disruption had severely affected daily life on campus.
“Our lecturers, our staff, our very lifeline to knowledge, they’re all cut off!
“This isn’t just an inconvenience; it’s a financial strangulation.
“Our transportation costs have skyrocketed, draining our pockets and crushing our spirits!” Ogbonna lamented.
The union also raised concerns about the economic toll on both students and transport operators within the school environment.
The SUG Public Relations Officer, Paul Alajemba, described the situation as one that affects the entire university ecosystem.
These damaged access roads are not only demarketing the university’s public image but have proved to be a deep thorn in the flesh for students and staff.
They have also led to an alarming increase in the cost of goods and services within the university environment due to an increase in the cost of doing business,” Alajemba said.
The statement further criticised delays in implementing the Special Palliative Relief on University Transportation, a federal government initiative led by President Bola Tinubu to ease mobility on campuses through the deployment of Compressed Natural Gas vehicles.
While CNG tricycles have been supplied to the campus, the union said they remain unusable due to the incomplete construction of the required CNG filling station, which has been stalled for over four months. The promised CNG buses have also yet to arrive.
“The Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) tricycles on campus are unmotorable because the essential CNG station has been under construction for over four months with no end in sight,” the statement read.
“Furthermore, the promised CNG buses have yet to arrive, rendering this commendable initiative a mere fairy tale for the FUTO community.”
Dean of Student Affairs, Professor Chikwendu Emenike Orji, was also quoted in the statement, confirming that the university management is aware of the road crisis. He noted that the Imo State Government is “attending to the problem, however, on a slow pace.”
The students also lamented a spike in off-campus insecurity, which they linked to the worsening condition of the roads.
They said criminals now target student lodges in surrounding communities, taking advantage of the poor access and lack of effective security patrols.
“The darkness and isolation created by these impassable routes have turned student lodges in neighbouring communities into easy targets for armed robbers.
“Valuables are brazenly stolen, and innocent students are left injured, traumatised, and fearing for their lives.
“These deplorable roads provide perfect cover for criminals, making it nearly impossible for security agencies to respond swiftly,” the union stated.
