WHILE it is clear that the present government in Abia State will not and cannot tackle all the infrastructural decay it inherited in 2007 following several years of neglect by successive governments in the state, it is unfair for any one to allege or insinuate that most infrastructural developments, especially road construction and rehabilitation, have been concentrated in Umuahia the state capital. Indeed roads within Umuahia metropolis and its environs have been given a facelift and adorned with streetlights, just as the state government has also replicated the same feat in other places, including the rural areas in the state.

Before Governor Theodore Orji came into office in 2007 most roads in the state, including the state capital Umuahia were death traps. They were not only dilapidated and impassable, they were so narrow and always congested. For most residents in the rural communities in the state, accessing the state capital or other places was the most challenging task. This was due to lack of access roads. Some of the villagers have not seen caterpillar in their areas before the present government came into office in 2007 and started to construct roads in the area. The situation then was so appalling and pathetic. But Governor Orji was not deterred as he took the issue of massive road construction and rehabilitation as his government’s top priority, especially in rural and council areas across the state.

Today, roads across the state are wearing new looks. One hardly sees any road in the state capital and its environs with potholes. The rural roads have also been opened up for easy movement of goods and services to urban areas. A development that has reduced drastically the rural- urban migration in the state as residents can now easily access the urban areas without much stress. But instead of appreciating the present government’s effort in massive road construction and rehabilitation across the state which is obvious and verifiable, some few individuals, who are experts at complaining or criticising, are busy insinuating that Governor Orji’s administration has concentrated roads rehabilitation and construction in the state capital, Umuahia.

But they have forgotten that what the present government has spent in constructing and reconstructing roads in the commercial city of Aba and its environs, with its attendant difficult terrain and poor drainage channels, can construct thousands of road in other parts of the state. For example, apart from road construction in Aba, the government has constructed several water drainage and opened up the existing ones that were hitherto blocked by indiscriminate disposal of waste in the city. Most of these roads, especially in rural areas, are more of clayey soil, thereby making construction work a bit difficult. That is why, in most cases, the state government has always insisted that contractors must remove the clayey soil and replace it with sand before construction to ensure durability.

Some of the roads constructed by the present government in Abia South senatorial zone since 2007 include Timber Market Internal Road, Uratta, Aba-Owerri, Aba/Port Harcourt, Faulks Road, Brass Road, Okwu Avenue, Ikonne Street, Nwala Street, Ngwo Ukonu Street, Umule Road, Mountain Zion Road, Ezeogo Street, A and F line roads inside Ariaria Market, Aba-Obikabia Road, Unity Garden Estate-Osisioma Ring Road, Mkporobe-Ohanku Road, East Road, Obikabia-epomiri Road, Mbarautba-Epomriri Road, Umuocham Road, Owaza Road, Ngwa Road, George Road, Danfodio by Ube Road, Azikiwe Road, East Ndoki Road, School Road, Ofomo Road, Onuma Road, Ozumba –Ohazu roads; Jubilee, Cemetery, Milverton Avenue, Eziukwu/Okigwe roundabout and several others under construction now.

Also completed in Ukwa East council area are Umuibe-Ohandu Road, Ohanso-Obunku Road, Obohia Oil Mill Road, Ohambele-Obeaku Road, Eti-Onanku Road, Uhuru-Ohanku- Mkpukpuoha Road, Umuogo-Obuzo-Mkpukpoha-Abaki Road, Mkpuaga-Ogbuagu Road, College Road, Azumiri Road, DFRI Road, Akanu-Azumiri Road, Akanu-Umugboeze Road, Umuato bridge/culvert, and others.

Roads that have been constructed and rehabilitated in Abia Central zone include Ntigha-Mbawsi Road, Nkata-Alike-Umukabia Road, Amaogwugwu-Umuakabia-Umuekwule Road, Isieke-Okwuta-Ahiaeke Road, Isiadu-Ameke Road, Umueze-Agbo-Ubani Ibeku Road, Nkata Mbom Road, Okpara-Ofeme Road, Enyiukwu-Afara Road, Umuafai-Lodu-Ahieke Road, Umuafia-World Bank Road, Okigwe Park/Byepass Road, Umuovom- Nkata Road (Ochendo Byepass), Uwalaka-Ahia Orie Ugba Road, Ahii-Isiama-Afara Road, Ibeku Road extension, Iyienyi-Okwo-Ozuitem Road, Umuafai-Ndume Road, Ossah Road and Osoro-Obowo Street.

Also not left out were roads in the rural areas of Abia North zone.

At the last count, the present government has constructed and rehabilitated not less than 370 kilometres of roads in the 17 council areas in the state and will do more before the tenure expires in May next year. Residents in the state are already reaping the gains of good roads in the state as vehicles and commuters now move easily without undue traffic gridlock.

To ensure regular maintenance of the roads, the state government established a road maintenance agency known as Abia State Road Maintenance Agency, ASRMA, which was provided with state- of-art road maintenance equipment to enable it carry out its job effectively.

Dr. ROMANUS UWA, a commentator on national affairs, wrote from Aba, Abia state.