U-Report: Coalition Of Human Rights Groups Decry Deplorable Conditions Of Roads In Aba

A Road In Aba

Report By Foundation For Environmental Rights, Advocacy

A coalition of Human Rights Group has decried the deplorable state of roads in Aba, the commercial nerve centre of Abia State, saying if nothing urgently was done to remedy the situation; the city would face imminent collapse.

The groups which raised the alarm include Centre for Popular Participation and Local Initiatives (CENPPALIN), Foundation for Environmental Rights, Advocacy and Development (FENRAD); Save Nigeria Group (SNG), Abia Chapter and Campaign for Democracy(CD) Abia state chapter

 Spokespersons for the groups, comrades Nelson Nnanna Nwafor , Godson Ibekwe-Umelo, Esuebio substance and ,Emenike Ogba said the condition of roads in Aba was better seen than imagined.

“Virtually every part of Aba is in a shameful state of disrepair. One cannot mention any particular road in the city that can be said to be in good state.

 “Before now, the roads we could consider as the best in Aba were Faulks, Azikiwe, Mosque and East Street all of which were reconstructed by the government of Chief Sam Onunaka Mbakwe. Although the previous and present governments did some minor repairs on these roads, but presently, they have deteriorated almost completely and the rest of the roads in the city are just nightmares.”

While not sparing Federal roads in the city, the group stated that other strategic roads in the  Aba such as Milverton, Ohanku, Osusu, Omuma, Port Harcourt and Ikot Ekpene roads were completely impassable, stressing that this has adversely affected the economy of the town in particular and the state in general.

 “Aba has been cut off from the rest of the country because apart from the pitiable condition of the internal roads, all the other roads leading into the city ; Port Harcourt, Ikot Ekpene and Aba/Owerri roads are all gone.

“It no longer makes much economic sense for people to come into Aba to transact business because of the bad nature of the roads which has doubled the cost of transportation and sky-rocketed the cost of goods.

“Residents of Ohanku road which is the village of the Minister of Labour, Chief Emeka Wogu are suffering much. When the rains started, people were ferried across some of the worst portions on backs, but now the situation has gone out of hand.

“In fact when you look at the water at Ohanku, it’s like you are looking at the Atlantic Ocean”, the coalition lamented while calling on government to do something about the development.