Former Anambra State governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has expressed frustration over the terrible condition of Nigerian roads.
He shared his recent experience of spending over seven hours on a journey from Onitsha in Anambra State to Anyigba in Kogi State, a trip that should have taken about three hours.
Obi took to X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, October 19, 2024, to voice his concerns. He stated, “On Tuesday the 15th (October), my journey from Onitsha in Anambra State to Anyigba in Kogi State by road once again underscored my consistent appeal for all tiers of government to prioritise the repair and completion of existing road infrastructure, rather than launching new projects that may not be completed anytime soon.”
He explained that the poor condition of the roads made his trip through Obollo Afor, Otukpa Branch, Ejule, and Anyigba exhausting. On his return, Obi opted for a different route, but it still took him several hours. “We took an alternate route via Ogugu and Enugu-Ezike, departing Kogi State around 2:00 p.m. and not arriving back until about 9:00 p.m. – all for a meeting that lasted just 30 minutes,” he said.
Obi highlighted that this was not his only experience with poor roads. He recounted past trips where road conditions caused significant delays. “In the first quarter, I had cause to travel from Calabar to Uyo, a trip that should take about an hour, but it ended up taking four hours,” he shared.
He further recalled challenges traveling from Port Harcourt to Bayelsa, Abuja to Kaduna, and Benin to Auchi, stating, “My recent trip from Benin to Auchi and back was excruciating, and one cannot help but wonder.”
Obi emphasized the need for the government to focus on fixing existing roads rather than starting new projects. “I know these things cannot be fixed overnight, but my appeal is that there should be total commitment to alleviating the suffering of the Nigerian travelling public, rather than launching new projects,” he urged.
He called for resources to be directed toward improving the current road network, stressing, “The resources should be directed toward improving the existing roads and easing the burden on commuters.”
