Latest News

Saturday, 7 February 2015

2015: Abians seek change


As the 2015 general elections draw near, the traumatised peo­
ple of Abia State are excited about the prospect of change in
terms of the administration of the state. From the south to
the north and central senatorial districts of the state, the
prayer is the same: Let the cup of inefficient and insensitive
administration pass over us.
Indeed, in over seven years, the people of the state have been
gnashing their teeth over the decayed infrastructure and the
general poor state of affairs in the state. The situation is such
that respected business mogul and billionaire, Chief Arthur
Eze, openly admitted that the state was stinking.
Recently, Saturday Sun correspondent visited the state and
discovered that nothing had changed. In fact, the state is still
stinking to high heavens. The state roads are still in
deplorable condition while garbage litters the streets.
Consider this: Even in February, when the rains are on holiday,
Ohanku road in Aba leading to the hometown of the immediate
past Minister of Labour and Productivity, Mr Emeka Wogu,
remains impassable, both to human and vehicular traffic. The
road is flooded with water from the gutters even as the entire
stretch is enveloped by offensive odour. Every now and then, it
was learnt, state officials come and damage the road more in
the name of rehabilitating it.
A trader in the area said: “We are living in hell. The road is
like a pathway to hell. The road is in a deplorable condition
even as the overflowing gutter stinks so terribly. You are here,
so you can see things for yourself. In fact, you were able to
get to this point because the rains have stopped. If you come
here during the rainy season, you would have been totally
messed up. We have, indeed, suffered so much in the last
couple of years. When you consider the fact that the road that
leads to the home town of someone like the former Minister of
Labour and Productivity is in such a decrepit state, you have
no doubt that the present government is grossly inept. But the
good thing is that in a couple of days, we will have the
opportunity of sending out the clueless administration, if the
votes will count, that is. We are fed up with the situation
because those presently running the affairs of the state are
not responsive to the needs and yearnings of the people. If we
ask for fish, they give us snake; if we ask for bread, they give
us stone. My brother, I have never seen a thing like this
anywhere.”
Ngwa road, an arterial road connecting Ohanku, is also in
ruins. There, you see traders doing business beside a
mountain of refuse. The area emits an acrid odour because of
the overflowing, rotten garbage. You see maggots and flies
everywhere. Again, the traders have taken over a sizeable
portion of the road where they display their wares. It was
gathered that in the desperation of the people at the helm of
affairs and their cronies to make money, they allow the traders
to display their wares on the road. A traditional ruler in the
area was also fingered in the traders’ occupation of the road
as he receives a piece of the cake.
A source said: “The traders are allowed to occupy part of the
road because they pay some people who claim to be govern­
ment officials. Of course, the result is traffic congestion.
Sometimes, people are knocked down by vehicles but the
traders remain there because they do not have a choice as it
were. The traders cannot afford to rent stalls, so they lay their
lives on the line to earn a living.
“Regarding the overflowing garbage, it is a permanent feature
of the area. The area has a permanent odour because of the
refuse. Once in awhile, they come to clear the garbage but it
is only when it had become a mountain. As you can see, some
of the traders close to the mountain of garbage cover their
noses with handkerchiefs. We recognise the dangers of doing
business in such an unhygienic environment but what can one
do? Funnily enough, a former deputy director general of the
state environmental protection agency in the zone is gunning
for the position of governor in the forthcoming election. We
call him ‘dirty boy’ because he had failed woefully in his job. I
wonder how someone who couldn’t keep Aba clean would be
the standard bearer of a political party. It shows that the
powers-that-be are bent on ensuring that we continue to live
in misery.”
Ngwa road is not the only road taken over by traders in Aba.
Traders sit pretty on a section of Danfodio road doing
business. Ndoki road has also been taken over by traders who
pay fees to some officials. In fact, the vicinity of the popular
Enyimba Stadium leaves so much to be desired.
Indeed, Aba, the commercial nerve centre of Abia State could
be described as one of the dirtiest cities in the country. Many
of the streets are littered with dirt even as the drainages,
where they exist, are blocked by garbage. The popular East
Street, Hospital road, Park road and Obiora Street are some of
the places filled with dirt. Most parts of the city are neglected,
squalid.
If you see a portion of Danfodio road, you wonder what the
residents had done to deserve the treatment they are getting.
The place is flooded with disease-infested water from
overflowing gutters. Even a war-torn city will fare better.
One of the residents, who simply identified himself as Omaka,
said: “All year round, the place is flooded. It does not matter if
it is dry season or rainy season. The gutters are filled with
dirt and water covers the road. Some people call it ‘River
Danfodio.’ It is not a laughing matter because it breeds
mosquitoes everywhere. The residents are always falling sick
but because it is not easy relocating, we remain here. We are
expecting a change because of the forthcoming elections. Our
only prayer is that they allow the votes to count. We have suf­
fered so much for some years now and we are expecting a
change soon.”
As it is in the cities, so it is in the rural areas. In fact, the
state of roads in the hinterland is pitiable. For example, the
road to Ofeme community, after Eme River bridge, which is a
stone’s throw from Umuahia, the capital city, is in a sorry
state.
“The state of Ariaria-Asa–Amator and Obrete roads is nothing
to write home about. The roads are not passable, not to talk
of being motorable. Pools of ‘streams’ inhabited by reptiles in
the middle of the road are a common sight. The situation
subjects the over eight communities to untold hardship. Last
Christmas was terrible for people in the area because of the
roads. Broken down vehicles was the order of the day. People,
who came home for the Christmas and New Year festivities,
had it rough. Each time I think of going home, I shudder
because of the state of the roads. It is quite unfortunate,”
disclosed Chief Chima, an indigene of the place.
Regarding the road to Arochukwu, in another part of the state,
Okey Ikechukwu wrote: “The road is abominable. That is if we
insist on calling what is essentially a dangerous stretch of
treacherous undulations, massive pot (man) holes and sundry
dangers a road. As you ‘drive’ on this road of questionable
impact on the life of the people in the area, you can see those
who are trekking beside your car briskly overtake you. Mean­
while, you are inside a powerful rough terrain vehicle and they
are not. And those who ply this no-road every day are
Nigerians who have as much right to tolerable social
infrastructure as anyone else. Some mischievous observers
who try to laugh it off by pointing to the well-known Igbo
saying that there is no short distance to Arochukwu forget to
add that the adage speaks of distance, not that there is no
way of getting to Arochukwu at all.
“One thing is for sure today: whoever sets out for Arochukwu
hoping for a leisurely ride may well need to put his ancestors
on notice that he may join them at short notice. Those who
brag about using ‘jeep’ to travel to Arochukwu should know
that the fundamentally alarming fact that one may be tossed
right out of one’s vehicle as it navigates the terrain. My
experience during a recent visit to honour an invitation to
Arochukwu came dangerously close to the above narrative.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Every Amebocity.com User is responsible for anything he or she comments..the comment does not represent the views of Amebocity or any of its crew.

Tags

Recent Post