Ezeagu, Enugu – In the heart of Enugu State's Ezeagu local government area lies the Ugwualu Umumba community, a rural agrarian settlement struggling to survive amidst the deplorable conditions of their only access road.

The road, which has become a nightmare for residents, is in a state of complete disrepair, making it nearly impassable for vehicles and other means of transportation.

A video clip shared with SaharaReporters on Thursday paints a vivid picture of the road's sorry state, with a grandmother seen falling into moldy water with her bicycle, losing a gallon of palm oil she was taking to market to sell.

The video is a heart-wrenching testament to the unimaginable suffering the community is going through due to the lack of access road.

"We are going through unimaginable suffering in this our community because of lack of access road," Nwokike Chiosom, a resident of the community, lamented. "We don't bury our deads in the rainy season especially those who died in the Enugu City center or any other places outside the community because of lack of access road."

The community's plight is further compounded by the fact that politicians only seem to remember them during elections, leaving them without government attention for the rest of the time.

The residents of Ugwualu Umumba community are forced to trek several kilometers to reach their destinations, braving security challenges along the way.

Vehicles stop at a distance, and people are left to fend for themselves, struggling to transport their goods and services with wheelbarrow and bicycle. The situation is particularly dire for those in need of urgent medical attention, who are often left with no option but to rely on makeshift means of transportation.

"As you can see in this video, our story is not a make-up, it is not a political matter," Chiosom emphasised.

"You can imagine in this kind situation if someone is sick in the community and needed to be transported to another community or to the State capital for urgent medical attention, how do you take the person out?" The community's desperation is palpable, and their cry for help is one that cannot be ignored.

Despite the daunting challenges, some youths in the community have taken it upon themselves to work on the road on a daily basis, trying to make it passable for their fellow residents. Their efforts, though commendable, are a mere Band-Aid solution to a problem that requires a more comprehensive approach.

The community is now begging the state government to come to their rescue, with Chiosom pleading, "We are begging the state government to come to our rescue. Only if the local government was allowed to function independently with their federal allocations, no how no how, the Council would have fixed this road without waiting for the state."

The residents of Ugwualu Umumba community deserve better, and it is imperative that their plight is addressed without further delay.

As the community waits for relief, one thing is certain - their voices will not be silenced. They will continue to cry out for help, hoping that someone will hear their plea and come to their rescue.