Aba-Port Harcourt Express Way: A Nightmare (II)

Similarly, communities will
find it an uphill task to socially and culturally interact with one another, especially during cultural fiestas, that is, if they have to travel by road. Some may resort to trekking hence they end up wasting the whole day trekking on the road and never achieving the reason they initially set out of their playground. How can the physically challenged participate in activities that take place in distant communities if everyone were to trek?
Despite media attacks launched by social media adherents on past and present government, over the dreadful condition of this road, the leaders of both states across which this road runs play little or no attention. They don’t seem to understand the amount of time and resources that are wasted on this road by the citizens. These workers and traders would have been more productive if they arrived their places of work in time and in good state of mind ready to accomplish the day’s task.
Many recount their excruciating experiences of how they spend several hours on the road, sometimes spilling over the next day. One Kenneth Egere narrated how he had spent 6 hours on air (flight)  from London to Port Harcourt and was made to spend 8 hours from Port Harcourt to Obehie in September 2014, because of the poor state of the road. If only the government knew how much of human and material resources is being wasted as a result of the sorry condition of the so-called trunk ‘A’ road.
A journey that should ordinarily last for 40 minutes, would at times take the whole day and sometimes eternity. The Aba-Port Harcourt highway is so bad that vehicle plying it invariably retire to the mechanics workshop at the end of every journey  instead of peacefully enjoining their loved ones at home having gone through the normal hustlings and bustling of a typical business day. Even with all these woes, transporters a terribly bewildered that only very little or apparently nothing is being done by the two state-governments, not even the Federal Government is saying a word concerning this road, despite the payment of road taxes to the Federal Government not  excluding other rates to states and local government.
Unfortunately, it has never been seen neither has it ever been heard that a curtain individual was walking on the road whose name’s Federal or State government. However, there are men and women, our fellow countryman who were elected into office at various levels to responsibly later to the needs of the citizens of this great and wealthy nation. What have there been doing?
Even though, this road is referred to as Federal road, the States concerned should feel the agony of the poor masses on this important road and fulfil their campaign promises and political responsibilities to their people. One of which is providing transportation to the public. On a very bad day, the traffic situation leaves one wondering in frustration  if being a citizen living either in Aba or Port Harcourt is not a curse. And this being the case, no one should die as a result of this bad road and still go to tell, since the situation is already hellish.
Imagine the heavy duty trucks in their numbers popularly known as ‘Dangote’ plying this road on a daily basis without which the economy of this country would be brought to a standstill and one of such trucks breaks  down in the middle of the busy Ariaria – Eleme Junction road. It will take only but very few seconds to have cars lining up in hundreds behind it and passengers and transporters looking more frustrated than prisoners in the Kpirikpiri prisons waiting to be executed.
What can be done to remedy this current situation? In my opinion, there should be more forceful campaigns through media houses: print or electronic to the governments of Abia and Rivers States. Although they may claim to know, they should be brought to the understanding that transportation is a key determinant in the process of development of any nation. And rather than sitting and tapping their feet waiting for the apparently unwilling Federal government to travel from Abuja down to Port Harcourt and repair the road, the two state governments should contribute resources and funds to start working and later make requisition to the federal government for refund.
Nigeria which poses as the ‘giant’ of Africa and the largest economy on the continent cannot afford to compromise on very sensitive matters related to its growth economically and other wise.
The attraction of foreign investors and big time business organisations from around the world to Nigeria and especially to the oil rich (Niger-Delta) Rivers State and Abia the commercial nerve of this part of the country does not only depend on security and safety. To a large extent, it borders on an effective transport network. Thus, it is clear that the presence of foreign investors both in the public and private sectors implies great and juicy employment opportunities for the army of unemployed youths in the country and especially for those touts who delight in distracting transporters.
Let it be known that the sole reason our government officials were elected into office was to defend the rights and provide the basic amenities for the weak and helpless. The provision of social infrastructures by the government, whether state or federal is a necessity. Sad as it looks, the nature of the road in question, speaks a lot about the feelings and concerns of the previous governments of both states and those of the 7 week old governments of the present administration.
The Commissioner for works should swing into action. Both governments are bound to fulfill their electioneering campaign promises to the electorates, who voted them into office. There should be some ideological synergy which must translate into action by having the best road construction companies around awarded the contract of total construction of the Aba-Port Harcourt express way.
Anything short of immediate action to rescue the already sordid situation will tantamount to lack of political will, complacency and outright negligence of constitutional duty on the part of the government.
Concluded.
Odey of Catholic Institute of West Africa (CIWA) is an intern with The Tide.

Luke Odey