Atani road deteriorates, residents demand urgent repairs in Anambra
Residents of Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State are facing growing difficulties commuting along the Atani road, with civic accountability organisation Tracka calling for its urgent rehabilitation.
Tracka, in a post on Thursday, appealed to Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Charles Soludo, and the Minister of Works, David Umahi, to intervene over the deteriorating condition of the road. The organisation said the Atani road, which serves as a major route in and out of Ogbaru, had been in poor condition since last year and had continued to deteriorate, particularly during periods of rainfall.
It said residents around the Afia Idemili market area and Obodoukwu had been severely affected, adding that commuting had become increasingly difficult because of the state of the road.
“Afia Idemili markets area and Obodoukwu residents have been severely affected by the state of this road as commuting is currently a big challenge,” Tracka said.
The organisation urged the Anambra State Government and the Federal Ministry of Works to facilitate immediate repairs, stressing the importance of the route to residents and economic activities in the area. The latest appeal comes against the background of long-standing concerns over the condition of major roads linking communities in Ogbaru.
In October 2023, the House of Representatives called for the rehabilitation of the Onitsha-Atani-Ossomala-Ogwuikpele-Ndoni road, describing it as the main road connecting about 15 communities in Ogbaru to other parts of Anambra and the shortest route to Rivers State.
The House noted at the time that the road was in deplorable condition and that annual flooding had worsened the situation. It also urged the Federal Ministry of Works to include the road’s completion in the 2024 budget and called on the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency to provide palliative measures.
The condition of roads in the area has also been linked to wider flooding and environmental challenges. In September 2026, the National Emergency Management Agency said more than 3,500 residents of riverine communities in Ogbaru had been affected by flooding following rising River Niger water levels and increased rainfall.
NEMA said its assessment of Odekpe, Ohita and Atani found that houses, shops, farms, livestock and livelihoods had been affected, while some sections of roads had been cut off, forcing residents to resort to water transport.
The state government has also acknowledged infrastructure challenges in Ogbaru and announced road projects in the area. In August, the Soludo administration approved the construction of a road linking Atani with Umuezerabia, an oil-producing community in Ogbaru, under plans to operationalise the Anambra State Oil and Gas Producing Areas Development Commission.
Earlier, in September 2025, Soludo inspected deteriorated roads in Iyiowa Odekpe, another part of Ogbaru, and described some sections, including School Road, as requiring urgent attention. He assured residents that rehabilitation would be prioritised.
Despite the various interventions and planned projects, Tracka’s latest appeal indicates that residents along the Atani route continue to face serious access problems. The organisation is therefore calling on the state and federal authorities to urgently address the condition of the road to ease movement and protect economic activities in the affected communities.
