₦20,000 to Travel a Few Kilometres: Gov. Fubara, Why Is Odual Still Cut Off After 26 Years of Democratic Rule? Residents Demand Answers
By Passman Akpos
Residents and stakeholders have renewed calls for urgent government intervention in the Odual axis of Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State, decrying what they describe as 26 years of infrastructural neglect that has crippled economic activities and deepened poverty in the area.
In a statement titled “The Economics of Abandonment: How Bad Roads Have Trapped Odual in Poverty for 26 Years,” public affairs commentator Akari Thankgod Godsgift argued that the poor condition of roads in the community has become more than an inconvenience, describing it as a major economic barrier that continues to isolate residents from opportunities.
According to him, photographs from the area show motorcycles struggling through flooded roads, residents crossing rivers on makeshift wooden bridges, and commuters risking their lives daily due to the absence of modern road infrastructure.
He noted that transportation costs have skyrocketed because of the deteriorating road network, claiming that a journey which should ordinarily cost between ₦3,000 and ₦5,000 now exceeds ₦20,000 whenever the road is accessible.
The writer described the situation as a “poverty tax” created by years of government neglect rather than official policy, stressing that the high cost of transportation affects farmers, traders, students, patients seeking healthcare, and families moving essential goods.
He explained that local farmers are unable to compete in regional markets because transporting agricultural produce such as cassava, plantain, and vegetables has become prohibitively expensive. As a result, many residents have reportedly abandoned commercial farming for subsistence agriculture, producing only enough for household consumption.
The statement further argued that while local production has declined, essential goods entering the community are sold at significantly higher prices due to transportation costs, creating a cycle of poverty that continues to undermine economic development.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999, the author observed that despite 26 years of uninterrupted democracy, the Odual axis has allegedly not benefited from key infrastructure such as tarred roads or permanent concrete bridges.
He lamented that many young people born in 1999 have grown into adulthood without witnessing meaningful infrastructural development in their communities, describing the situation as “generational economic exclusion.”
Calling for immediate action, the statement urged relevant authorities to prioritise the construction of roads and bridges linking Odual to neighbouring communities and commercial centres, insisting that infrastructure development is essential to unlocking the area’s economic potential.
The author concluded by declaring that the continued neglect of Odual represents not only a humanitarian concern but also a significant obstacle to economic growth, ending with the call: “Abua/Odual must be great.”
