Aba Residents Decry State Of Roads

Some residents of the
commercial city of Aba in Abia State have decried the deplorable condition of federal and state roads in the city.
The residents told our correspondent that if nothing was done before the commencement of the rainy season, Aba would become “ghetto”.
Mr Chima Eze, a resident of Port Harcourt Road, said that it was bad for the government to have allowed the road to deteriorate to the point of endangering the lives of the people.
“It is quite unbelievable that government could leave the road and others in the city in such dilapidated condition, in spite of various forms of taxes and levies imposed on the people.
“As the name implies, this is the only road that leads to Port Harcourt from Aba metropolis; but now, you cannot go to Port Harcourt or come in to Aba from Rivers State using that road.
“The roads are bad and I wonder why Aba residents have been left to suffer like this,’’ he said.
Another resident, Mr Okoye Umeh, who lives along Ikot Ekpene Road, said the city should be declared a disaster area and that the Federal Government should take over the rehabilitation of roads in Aba, to give the people a new lease of life.
“As things stand now, it is impossible to go to Akwa Ibom and Cross River states through Ikot Ekpene Road in Aba because of its deplorable state.
“This is the road used by traders from Akwa Ibom, Cross River and even Cameroon to come to Aba to buy things.
“But now, they no longer come because the road is in such a terrible condition and this is adversely affecting those of us that are traders.”
He called on the government to come to their aid, noting that if the rains resumed with the roads in such state, businesses in Aba would die.
Mr Okon Edet, a trader who comes from Eket to buy things in Aba, said that he had reduced his business visits to Aba due to the hardship he experienced on the roads.
“Aba roads are very bad and I pity the residents. What I see in Abia is condemnable.
“The roads are deplorable and I hope that God will give Abia people a governor who will work for them like Akpabio is working for us, otherwise they will suffer terribly,” he said.