SPECIAL REPORT: How uncompleted road project cut off Akwa Ibom community from health care services

Mary Slessor, a missionary who ended the killing of twins in Nigeria also set up a hospital to provide healthcare for people within its reach. However, the hospital has become a historical relic, as the road leading to it has cut off the community it should serve. DARBY DIVINE reports:

The rehabilitation of the Mary Slessor Hospital road in Obot Itu, Itu local government area, Akwa-Ibom State, remains uncompleted despite an initial allocation of N600 million and other allocations in subsequent years.

This incomplete work has caused significant inconveniences to residents, health workers, and local businesses. The project was awarded by the state Ministry of Works and Fire Service in 2022.

A recent visit to the site showed that while the road section that needs rehabilitation has been graded, it has not been tarred, leaving its surface uneven and rough. Residents and local shop owners report that the road becomes muddy and treacherous during the rainy season and very dusty during the dry season, making it difficult for commuters to navigate.

Mary Slessor Hospital, located in Itu, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, was founded in 1906 by Mary Slessor, a Scottish missionary. Passionate about serving the local community, she dedicated her life to providing healthcare, education, and women’s empowerment. The hospital has since become a vital healthcare provider in the region, offering a range of medical services to the community.

Signpost of the hospital

The project

The Mary Slessor Hospital stands as a relic of history. It has been neglected for years due to the bad road leading to it, which is treacherous: a severely deteriorated road. This hospital, known as the first building during the time of Mary Slessor—the missionary who famously stopped the killing of twins—serves as a colonial memory today. The hospital has been under the care of the Akwa-Ibom State government.

However, the road project began in 2022 with an allocation of N2 billion with an initial release of N600 million according to the Akwa Ibom State budget, 2022.

Also, in 2023, N2 billion was initially budgeted for its rehabilitation, but this was later revised to N1 billion. In 2024, N500 million was budgeted, yet progress has been minimal.

The deplorable state of the road leading to the hospital and the 30-meter bridge along it has unexpectedly halted healthcare delivery and affected residents’ daily lives. The once-reliable healthcare facility now struggles with the challenges caused by the poor road conditions.

Mary Slessor hospital road

For residents, the situation is equally dire. The road’s deterioration has turned their daily movements into a nightmare, causing frustration and desperation. The community’s economic and social activities are also suffering, as the poor road conditions hinder access to markets, schools, and other essential services

In an interview with UDEME, a health worker at the Mary Slessor Hospital shared her emotional experience.

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She revealed the isolation she has faced due to her dedication to humanitarian services, stating, “I have lived and served here all my youthful years. I’ve seen this hospital in its glory and up until now.”

She also said that poor road conditions “have made people lose faith, preferring to patronize the patent medicine stores and neighbouring hospitals instead”.

“I’m sure you can see how dry everywhere is; people no longer come here. They now prefer to buy drugs from chemists. I barely attend to patients except in serious cases where I offer first aid and reach out to the doctors to come around, especially in times of emergencies; lives have been lost in the process of rushing patients for treatment.”

Residents’ homes along the Mary Slessor hospital road

Residents Echo Displeasure Over Project’s Limitations

A motorcyclist told this reporter that he avoids the road due to its bad condition and he only accepts high fares to cover potential repair costs if his bike gets damaged.

“I no fit use dat road even for my dream, the road don bad so tey except passengers gree pay any amount wey I call for them, na wen me I go pass thru dis road,” James Uwa said in pidgin.

Another motorcyclist expressed concern about the bridge’s narrow width, which cannot accommodate more than one bike at a time, increasing the risk of accidents.

Grace Ukim, a local businesswoman, said travelling the road feels ”like playing with one’s life,” a risk she is unwilling to take.

John Ekpo, a youth, voiced his frustration: “We can’t access the hospital, and the slow pace of construction worsens our situation. The bad road and ongoing construction have made things so difficult for us.”

A woman in her 50s expressed her frustration in her local dialect (Ibibio), saying she doesn’t use the road due to its bad state.

“I thank God for the water bodies. I worry less about how to go to my farm and harvest my farm produce. I just have to enter my canoe and paddle on the water as I journey.

“I’m tired of being worried about what the government ought to do. I want to enjoy my old age peacefully,“ she said as she stuck her chewing stick into her mouth again.

Residents pulling up the electric poles that fell due to the landslide.

Contractor Reacts

In an interview with this reporter, Yusuf Oyekunle, an engineer from Pitch Global Service Limited, the road contractor, expressed frustration over the project’s challenges.

He cited “ecological factors like unstable soil due to the riverine area and landslides affecting power supply. Human factors, including resistance from residents and changes in government administration, have also slowed progress”.

Despite these issues, he promised that ”with the right measures in place, progress will improve”.

A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to the ministry on August 29th but is yet to be responded to as at the time of this report.

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