Awka inhabitants urge governor-elect to declare state emergency on its roads

Some residents of Anambra have called on the incoming administration of Prof Charles Soludo, to be inaugurated on March 17, to declare a state of emergency on road Infrastructure in Awka Metropolis.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Correspondent who sampled opinion from some residents reports that they were in agreement that the roads are bad.

Mr Christian Beluchukwu, a resident, said that Awka metropolis shows a city lacking in motorable roads as practically all the roads in the city are broken.

“The broken roads appears to be the stamp of the capital city for a long time now and honestly need a face lift.

“A state like Anambra should be proud of a very durable road network when compared to other states created at the same time, like Ebonyi or Delta states. Our road network in Awka is near zero and needs Soludo’s urgent attention,” Beluchukwu said.

Beluchukwu specifically called on the incoming government to declare a state of emergency on road network in Awka Metropolis and entire state.

Mr Ugonnia Okigbo, another resident, categorically stated that Awka as a capital city lacks road Infrastructure in the real sense of it and was far from being recoginsed as a state capital.

Okigbo appealed to Soludo to employ the services of a civil engineer who would gather other experts on road construction and maintenance to build roads that would stand the test of time.

“Motorists patronise mechanic workshops and vulcanizers on daily basis because of the heavy wear and tear on their vehicles as the ply the routes in the state.

Mrs Eyiuche Okoye, a fruit seller, described the present condition of road Infrastructure in Awka as very poor, saying that vehicles that usually assist their group in transporting their wares from source has tripled the cost of transportation which was attributed to effects of the bad road on their vehicles.

“We bear the cost because we cannot carry our goods on our heads, we usually trade locally on native market days in rural areas so it is really bad for us, I pray that Soludo will consider women traders to build lasting roads,” she said

Okoye said that successive governments in the State had no interest in building good roads befitting the status of Awka as a capital city. Leaders had their eyes in building other structures, forgetting that road  projects are the key to all developmental structures.

Also speaking, Prof Frank Okafor, a Lecturer at the Nnmadi Azikiwe University, Awka, said that Awka Metropolis has no road Infrastructure befitting of a state capital for some years now.

Okafor expressed confidence in the ability of the incoming administration, led by Soludo, in bringing quality road Infrastructure in Awka metropolis, judging from his precedence and pronouncements.

He said that if good road network is built, the daily traffic jam being witnessed in Awka metropolis due to the absence of proper road networks in the area would be history.

Okafor urged the incoming government to make construction of good road Infrastructure in Awka a top priority.

Mr Ifenna Okeke, a tricycle operator, bemoaned the poor condition of roads in Awka Metropolis and appealed to the incoming government to give a facelift to roads in the area befitting a state capital.

Okeke said that the daily levy paid to the government is not enjoyed by operators of transport businesses because most of their gains are shared with mechanics. (NAN)