Bad Roads, Bane Of Produce Transportation

The shortage in transportation of farm produce to the city has been blamed on poor condition of feeder roads in some of the rural areas of the state.

The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Progress Integrated Farms Limited, Chief Sylvester Akobundu, who made the remark on Saturday during an interview with The Tide in Port Harcourt, said it is the responsibility of the local government council to take charge of feeder roads, otherwise known as Native Authority (NA) roads in those days of regional government.

According to him, human transportation and haulage of food stuff from the rural areas have been grievously affected by the bad roads, saying that some of the few ones that were rehabilitated have been characterised with deep potholes, gullies and shippery ways making it difficult.

For people to carry out their socio-economic activities.

He called on the state government to persuade the local government councils to rehabilitate the rural feeder roads in their domain, to ease transportation and to enable the grassroots.  People play their leading role of providing and transporting agricultural produce like, yam, corn, garri, vegetable, cassava, fruits among others to the density populated Port Harcourt City.

Chief Sylvester Akobundu said transportation system as affected by bad roads have been a major challenge facing the distribution of farm produce  in the state, stressing that this has affected the farmers negatively, as storage facilities are not  available in the villages, therefore, quick transportation of the food stuff to the available market saves the farmer from experiencing waste.

He urged the local government council chairmen to take urgent steps in ensuring that the roads  under their responsibility are maintained to enhance easy transportation.