THE two major federal roads in Ebonyi State are in good motorable condition, thanks to the State Governor, David Umahi.
At inception of his administration, the middle section of the Abakaliki-Afikpo highway was in a deplorable condition.
This was because contract for its construction was never awarded by the Jonathan administration. As a result, travellers suffered untold hardship on that road. A journey of 45 minutes sometimes took more than five hours.
But The Nation learnt that Governor Umahi deployed the state resources to carry out a total reconstruction of the road.
In addition, the two other sections of the road from Abakaliki to Onueke and from Abomege to Afikpo have been constantly maintained by the state government.
This has prevented the road from failing as the governor has constantly alleged that the contractors of these two sections did shoddy jobs.
Also, the Enugu -Abakaliki road is still in top condition. It was re-constructed by the Jonathan administration.
However, Ebonyi State Government under Mr. Umahi, has completed the dualisation from Spera-in-deo junction to EBSU permanent site gate.
The governor has also commenced the dualisation of the two roads with about five flyovers on them.
Already, the Author Eze flyover at Abaomege intersection of the Abakaliki-Afikpo road is about 90 percent completed.
Work have already commenced on another flyover at Ezzamgbo junction of the Enugu-Abakaliki highway.
Three flyovers have already been completed on the road. They include the Akanu Ibiam flyover, the Offiah Nwali fyover at Presco junction and the Margaret Umahi international market flyover.
Also the Ebonyi section of the Nkalagu to Enugu road, another federal road has been completed by the state government on concrete stone base with many bridges.
Our investigation suggests that Ebonyi State has arguably the best road network in the country today, thanks to Governor David Umahi who on assumption of office declared “I will not allow the people to suffer because some roads are federal roads. We will work on every road because it is Ebonyi people that will use the road,” he said.
Federal roads in Abia are death traps, residents cry out
INVESTIGATION carried out by The Nation shows that the economy of Abia State over the years has taken a nosedive. This, respondents said, is mainly because of the deplorable conditions of federal roads connecting Abia State with other neighbouring states of Southeast and South-south.
While checks reveal that work is ongoing on the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, drivers and commuters using these roads express worry over the manner and slow pace at which the contractors handling the road projects are executing the road contracts.
The horrible nature of the federal roads linking commuters into Umuahia, the Abia State capital, from Ikot Ekpene, is best described as a death trap.
The experience of both commercial and private drivers on Ikot Ekpene-Aba Expressway and the Azumini-Aba federal Highways are better experienced than told.
The federal roads (Port Harcourt road, Aba-Owerri road, and Aba-Ikot Ekpene Expressway) which serve as both exit and entrance routes in and out of Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State and indeed, the southeast, has got its share of the sad tale of road users on federal roads in the state.
A journey from Aba to Port Harcourt, Rivers State, which originally takes about 30-40mins, now takes about three to four hours, depending on the driver and the weather condition.
A journey from Aba to Umuahia, the state capital, which originally took between 30-40 minutes, now takes between 1hr to 1hr 30mins.
A journey from Umuahia to ????, which originally takes two hours, 30minutes, now takes three hours, 30 minutes. From Umuahia to Ikot Ekpene and Aba to Ikot Ekpene, which should take about 30 minutes, now takes between two hours and three hours. In fact, the road is currently inaccessible as drivers now use an alternative route through Obingwa.
From Umuahia and Aba to Owerri, Imo State capital, which was between 30-40mins, now takes between two hours and three hours.
A motorist, who gave his name simply as Emmanuel, said driving from Aba to Uyo is hellish. According to him, the amount of money that drivers spend repairing their cars can get them another car if the roads were in good condition.
Some other commercial drivers who spoke with our correspondent in Abia State said they are planning to give up driving to look for other businesses as their current occupation can no longer keep food on the tables of his families.
A commuter, Effiong Simon, said “I am from Akwa Ibom, but I live in Calabar. From Opobo junction to Ikot Ekpene with a bike is now N1000 for one person. Using a bike to Ikot Ekpene is even risky. People are either robbed of their valuables or kidnapped as some of the motorcycle operators are agents of kidnappers.
“From Opobo junction to Azumini is not safe as well. The day I tried coming through Azumini to Aba in my car, it was a day that I will not easily forget. A driver was robbed by hoodlums who camped on a bad portion of the road. I was lucky to have escaped being robbed.”
While the price of transport fare from Aba to Port Harcourt is relatively cheap, drivers say unlike in the past when they can go for two or three trips in a day, it takes the grace of God to successfully complete a trip with the condition of the Aba-Port Harcourt Expressway.
Some respondents who spoke to our reporter in various markets lamented a sharp drop in sales as most of their customers are now avoiding coming to the market because of the terrible road network connecting visitors to the commercial city.
They are begging on the federal government to urge the contractors handling Enugu-Aba-Port Harcourt Expressway to expedite action on the road project.
According to some of the traders, including Mrs. Ifeoma Ogbu, the best gift that the Buhari-led APC government would bequeath to Abians is fixing federal government roads in Abia State.
“Let President Buhari try and fix federal roads in Aba and Abia State. That is all that we are asking him to do for us. We only need roads and good ones for that matter. If the roads are fixed, we can fend for ourselves. We will be grateful to him and will engrave his name in our hearts as the president who came to our rescue. Others failed us, President Buhari should not fail us,” Mrs. Ogbu pleaded.
Abia State by its geographical position is bordered by the other four states in the southeast (Imo, Anambra, Enugu, and Ebonyi) and three states in the South-south states (Cross River, Akwa Ibom, and Rivers State).
Also, the presence of famous Ariaria, Cemetery and other markets in Aba in particular, accounts for the high vehicular influx on Abia roads.
Also most containers of imported goods leaving various ports across the country head to Abia as most importers and exporters of various commodities in and outside the country live in Aba.
This puts Abia as a major contributor to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). So, while commending President Muhammadu Buhari-led government over some of the projects it has so far situated in Aba, especially the Ariaria International Market Rural Electrification Project and other supports that the SME sector has enjoyed, respondents said there is a lot that is needed to be done as it concerns roads in order to tap into the rich potentials of the state.
