By Anayo Okoli

UMUAHIA—PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan yesterday said the Enugu-Aba-Port Harcourt Federal road deteriorated due to neglect by previous administrations in the country.

The President also lamented the hardship the bad state of the road had caused the people of the South East and South South and other users.

Jonathan, who spoke in Aba, Abia State, while flagging-off the rehabilitation section 4 of the road, from Aba to Port Harcourt, said he was determined to end the woes of the people on the road built 32 years ago.

Represented by the Minister of Works, Mr. Mike Onolememen, Jonathan said he had listened to the cries of the people from the South East and South South and other Nigerians over the deplorable state of the road and decided to work on it for them to have a new lease of life.

“It is common knowledge to all of us here today and all Nigerians that the road has deteriorated over time due to lack of adequate attention in terms of routine and periodic maintenance by successive administration.

“This has led to increase in transportation cost with the attendant negative impact on commercial activities.

“It is in response to the cries and yearnings of the good people of South South and South East zones and indeed all Nigerians that this administration decided to rehabilitate this road from Enugu-Port Harcourt in order to assuage the sufferings of our people.

“This will go a long way in reducing the time of travel on this route, road crashes and cost of maintaining vehicles plying the road. The overall effect is reduction in cost of transport of goods and services.

“Consistent with the efforts of my administration to deliver good quality roads in all the geo-political zones in the country in order to boost socio-economic activities nationwide.”

President Jonathan said his government recognized the importance of road infrastructure to the socio-economic development of the nation.