Posted by By Joe Kalu on
Business activities in Aba, the commercial town of Abia State has been slowed down owing to bad roads and refuse dumps, which dot every kilometer of most roads.
Business activities in Aba, the commercial town of Abia State has been slowed down owing to bad roads and refuse dumps, which dot every kilometer of most roads.
The Port Harcourt-Aba Road has remain unmotorable for sometime now and motorists have completely abandoned it.
A journey from Port Harcourt to Aba, which is not supposed to be more than 45 minutes now lasts almost a whole day.
Commercial motorists now ply Uratta road through Old Aba Expressway to Ariaria International Market before arriving the main park, that is their actual destination.
According to our investigation the worse spot is at the Enyimba Petrol Station of the Port Harcourt-Enugu expressway.
The nearby dump site has taken over the road.
Every motorist that arrives here simply puts off his engine and joins the endless holdup that is the direct effect of the take over of Enyimba city by filth.
Our investigations further show that commuters who are in a hurry and don't have wares in car holds simply alight and trek kilometers, waltzing through the filthy dump sites to the flyover junction where another set of commercial buses will be waiting to collect another fare of N20.
Mr. Nwankwo Obasi a driver told this publication to please inform the Abia State Governor, Orji Uzor Kalu to come to their rescue.
"I wonder if government officials don't ply this roads as they blow their siren", he stressed.
Another motorist, Mr. Okoye Ude pleaded to the authorities to come to their rescue.
"Please those of you who are closer to them, tell them that we are suffering. Whoever is responsible whether the state or the federal, they should stop playing politics with our lives", he warned.
A trader carrying a load of wares was spotted by this reporter sobbing in the crowded road, frustrated by traffic jam that the filth menace is causing.
According to her "my child is dying and I can't leave this wares to rush home like other commuters who are free", she lamented.
Our investigations suggest that despite the change of guard in those responsible for the refuse collection in the state, the situation has not changed.
The dump sites on the street even serve as toilets for many residents who don't have toilet facilities in their compound.
According to a source, some people defecate and throw their human waste in the dump site, while some other uncultured elements just simply answer nature's call at the refuse site without any qualm.
Many residents interviewed by our correspondent expressed disappointment at the state government.
One of them, a woman declared, "It is only God that has been assisting us if not this is enough to cause an epidemic".
At the dump site along Port Harcourt Road in front of Pinewood Hotel, a decomposed body of probably a destitute, or mad man was thrown inside the NDDC provided refuse bin.
A fortnight ago, Governor Orji Uzor Kalu had constituted mobile sanitation courts to deal with offenders and disbanded the Agency in charge of the refuse collection in a bid to arrest the situation.
These efforts, many residents who have lost hope in the administration, described as tantrums uttered in front of newsmen just for effect.
Meanwhile, his political enemies especially the Abuja based ones are capitalizing on the situation to destabilize the state administration.