Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 polls, Peter Obi has emphasized the need for governments to prioritize completing existing road projects over launching new ones. Obi’s statement comes after his arduous journey from Onitsha in Anambra State to Anyigba in Kogi State by road, which took over seven hours instead of the usual three and a half hours [1).
“The journey was exhausting, and the return trip wasn’t any better,” Obi said. “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.”
Obi’s experience isn’t isolated; he has had similar ordeals traveling across the country. “In the first quarter, I traveled from Calabar to Uyo, a trip that should take about an hour, but it ended up taking four hours,” he recounted. “I traveled from Port Harcourt to Bayelsa, thinking I would use the East-West Road to Warri, but it became a treacherous journey. Warri to Benin was a similar experience.”
Obi acknowledges that fixing these issues won’t happen overnight but urges the government to commit to alleviating the suffering of Nigerian commuters. “The resources should be directed toward improving the existing roads and easing the burden on commuters,” he stressed.
His appeal echoes concerns about abandoned projects and inefficient resource allocation ¹.
