ASABA – Residents of Asaba have called on the incoming administration in the state to provide good road network in order to boost the economy of the state.
The residents made the call in an interview with newsmen in Asaba.
They said that lack of good roads was a major challenge facing the people of the state, especially those living in Asaba, the state capital.
They noted that business activities in the state capital usually went down during the rainy season, due to the deplorable condition of the roads.
Mr. Uche Obi, who owns a supermarket the on the Direct Labour Road, said: “the poor state of our roads is having a toll on our businesses.
“We are always out of business once the rainy season begins because people find it very difficult coming to this part of the town.
“During the rainy season, we lose most of our customers because they find it very difficult accessing our shops.
“This is one of the reasons why we are appealing to the incoming government to try as much as possible to fix the link roads so that our businesses can survive,’’ Obi said.
Mrs. Grace Kalu, who owns a restaurant in Umuagu Quarters, said: “our major challenge in doing business, apart from the poor electricity supply, is the poor state of roads.
“The poor state of roads is having a negative impact on our businesses. We close our shops once the rainy season commences.
“Tell me how we can take care of our families when we are not in business.
“I want to use this opportunity to appeal to the governor-elect, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, to address this challenge immediately he assumes office,’’ Kalu said.
A tricycle operator, Mr. Cyril Mordi, said that the deplorable condition of roads in Asaba had a devastating effect on his transport business.
“We are not permitted to ply the highways; we are restricted to operate within the town. During the rainy season we find it very difficult using the roads because of their bad shape,” Mordi said.
The poor state of the roads in the state capital poses a big challenge to civil servants as well.
Majority of them, especially those residing in Okpanam axis, have sordid experience going to and from office. Once it rains the entire road gets flooded due to lack of drain.
Mr. Philip Gold, a civil servant living in Okpanam, said: “if it rains and you are not home, you must spend up to three hours between Inter-Bau roundabout and Okpanam Road.
“This is because of the heavy flood. There is no drain in this part of the town and it becomes a terrible experience passing through this axis when it rains,” Gold said.