It is a matter of fact that bad roads are synonymous with every government in Nigeria for many decades now. Even as many billions of naira are expended on either rehabilitating the roads or constructing new ones, a vehicle cannot move for a kilometre without encountering a bad spot or a pothole. The situation has become a national disgrace as the country celebrates its 62 years of independence. Good roads add beauty and aesthetic value and splendor to every city, while bad roads are an eyesore to visitors. No wonder Nigerian legislators want their official cars renewed every four years without any consideration for the backlash on the economy.

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) estimated 3.7 deaths per 100,000 population for Nigeria in 2009. In contrast, a population-based study in the same country reported a higher estimate of 160 deaths per 100,000 population.

Every year, unsubstantiated statistics of road accidents and casualties are released by the the FRSC despite the fact that many of such deaths are never reported. Thousands are also maimed due to bad roads.

In Africa, the number of road traffic injuries and deaths has been increasing over the last three decades. According to the 2015 Global Status Report on Road Safety, the World Health Organization (WHO), African region, had the highest rate of fatalities from road traffic injuries worldwide, at 26.6 per 100,000 population for the year 2013. In 2013, over 85% of all deaths and 90% of disability adjusted life years (DALYs) lost from road traffic injuries occurred in low- and middle-income countries, which have only 47% of the world’s registered vehicles. The increased burden from road traffic injuries and deaths is partly due to economic development, which has led to an increased number of vehicles on the road.

Statistically, Nigeria ranks first in Africa with the worst, unmotorable road networks, capping it with the highest number of accidents and deaths.

My recent journey from Abuja to Enugu, and another from Owerri Airport to lsikwuato Local Government Area in Abia State, where you cannot find officials of FRSC, were an eye-opener and could be used as a case study to drive home the point about government’s insensitivity  to the plight of ordinary citizens. The common man  makes use of the public transport for all travel. They use the road to evacuate their agricultural products.

The road is their only way to move from one point to another. Today, the roads have become a trap. The roads have become the harbinger of insecurity across the country. Hundreds of innocent Nigerians have met their Waterloo along the roads. Some have been kidnapped, like the former deputy director of State Security Service ,Mr  Mich Ejiofor, who was kidnapped along the road. A former aide to  former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Dr. Onukaba OJo, was not so lucky, as he was killed in cold blood along the road.

Many families have been bereaved and many women turned widows  sequel to this malaise. Unfortunately, more painful is the fact that  the FRSC could not lay hands on any authentic data to help this writer make an argument on the death toll on our roads. A few years back, this writer was in Ghana and had to travel by road from Accra to Kumasi. It was a smooth journey. The question on my lips was, “What type of gene is in the blood of Nigerian leaders that makes them subvert the joy of their people? Don’t they travel outside the shores of the country? Don’t they see the difference and compare it with the squalor back home?

Interestingly, the country is fully endowed with all the substances needed to construct excellent roads. Things like bitumen, asphalt, sharp sand, coal tar, etc, all these can be sourced locally, so, what exactly is the problem?

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Other neighbouring countries  around Nigeria are said to be importing bitumen from Nigeria, yet our roads are in very bad and shameful state. We have just celebrated our independence, though “low key”. Why not! Do we have anything to beat our chest as being proud of? A friend who clocked 66 yesrs recently regrettably told me that one shameful national legacy he’s  bequiting to his kids is shouting “Up Nepa!” Even when the name has changed, the organization is yet to grow out of its low activities. Others include the education and health sectors, and the financial scounge. None has given the country a good image. Could it be that the government realized these great shortcomings and quickly shut down any celebration mood. How can anyone bring out the drums for celebration when all the indices of good governance are lacking? How can the people blow the trumpet with empty stomachs, when even pets in the homes are attenuating like the squeezed ballon?

In a few more months, Nigerians would  head to their country homes to celebrate Christmas and other festivities. Those planning to travel with their car may end up patronizing the numerous quack mechanics who would have positioned themselves along the highways to further wreak havoc on vehicles that have broken down. When vehicles are not at the mercy of bad roads, then highway robbers or kidnappers would take over, causing mayhem and inflicting pains on travellers. It has degenerated to the level where bandits, as government has chosen to describe them, abduct travellers from their vehicles, subject  them to severe inhuman treatment and also demand ransom. Only recently, the 88 years old mother of former Super Eagles coach, Samson Siasia, was kidnapped in Bayelsa for huge ransom before she was  set free by her youthful abductors, who subjected her to a harrowing experience. Such incidents abound across the country, happening unabated. Apart from the severe hunger ravaging most communities, the growing army of  unemployed youths is left roaming and roaring like hungary lions looking for whom to devour. More regrettable is the absence of industries and the closing down of foreign enterprises. What is more, the soaring exchange rate and unfavorable economic atmosphere are militating against small businesses. All these amount to  a frustrated enviroment, with the wind of frustration blowing everywhere. While the minister of works and housing Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola was beating his chest, swimming in false euphoria, as he reeled out his road construction achievements, explaining that records show from previous budgets that the last time Nigeria budgeted over N200 billion in a year’s budget for roads was in 2002, he noted that income from oil prices increased over the last decade but our spending on roads decreased.

According to him, Ministry of Works got N13 billion in 2015; 2015- N18,132,000,000.00; 2016- N260,082,997,390.00; 2017- N274,252,699,006.00; 2018- N356,773,613,875.00; 2019- N223,255,487,297.29; 2020- N227,963,943,467.67; 2021- N241,864,245,450.44

Despite these huge budget, our roads seem like a malnourished orphan.

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Behold the sweetness of award and promotion (1)

News of promotion always brings a sweet fragrance of glorious excitement. It sends a soothing and special aura of satisfaction and achievement through the spine of the achiever. Like a long-distance runner who finds himself breasting the finishing tape, joyfully.

(To be continued)