Despite the fact that Nigeria is the supposed giant of Africa bestowed with enormous human and natural resources, many of its road projects still linger in severe abandonment both at the national and state levels. Consequently, these bad roads serve as an obstacle to development, severely hurting the social, economic and physical wellbeing of citizens.
In Jos, the capital of Plateau state, I humbly believe that it will not be an overemphasis to say that some communities have suffered decades of neglect by government despite the huge political support government enjoys during election.
In spite of the commendable effort of the current administration of Governor Solomon Lalong in ensuring the safety and security of lives on the Plateau, we can say that, the effort invested to free these societies from the shackle of infrastructural deficit is not enough to make a significant difference.
In 2013, contracts were flagged-off by the previous administration of Governor Jonah Jang for the construction of roads in Jos North, among which include two roads that form the subject of discussion of this piece. The first road links Bako Bridge to Yanshanu – a prominent cattle market in Jos; while the second road comprised of outlets that link Rikkos to the streets of Gangare, Garba Daho and Yan-Doya – a prominent yam market. The importance of these roads to commuters and inhabitants cannot be overstressed. However, only the former was completed, while the latter was halted since 2014 with no any sign of completion.
With the hope that an end to the decades of neglect by government is near, the residents of these areas rejoiced fervently when this present government came on board. But to their disappointment, the Lalong government with its continuity mantra ignored this project also – and some of the many more abandoned road projects that litter Jos city.
At the moment, the road has now become a death trap and nightmare for citizens. The breeze that sweeps through these areas is the textbook definition of harmful and unpleasant. Residents not only suffer from health complications including coughing, sneezing, eye irritations and above all, asthma assaults, their social activities have been trampled upon, as they now battle to cope with the uncoping reality.
During rainy seasons, a muddied environment is ensured, making it exceedingly difficult for people to ply this road. You will see people panicking and trying to anxiously wave their arms and legs to free themselves, you will see people moving their steering wheel back and forth, giving their tyre some room to crawl out of the groove all because they were stuck in the mud. Nevertheless, the hostility of the dust is reduced to the barest.
However, as the rain gradually fades and the dry season begins to set in, a dusty environment remains inevitable. And amid water scarcity, residents are left with two choices: to either buy water at exorbitant rate; or use unsafe water from runways to cushion the effect of the dusty wind that leaves its residue on everything it touches, staining white color red. Roof tops, parked cars and anything standing are all enveloped in red dust. Passersby especially students are not left out, they receive their share of dust whenever they ply this road – dusty legs remains sacrosanct.
Economic activities are acutely affected on multiple fronts. A significant percentage of customers are forced to abscond their suppliers over threats to life by dust from the abandoned project site. Consequently, businesses have observed reversal of fortunes as vast numbers of them have seen their income significantly depleted. Also, amid depletion of income is the rising cost of production from different angles. The outrageous amount of money spent on daily acquisition of water used for spraying to cushion the effect of dust speaks in volumes.
Food vendors such as the “Marhaba Kitchen World” and others are faced with the incessant need to do away with dust – that leaves its residue on anything it touches, for the cleanliness and safety of the service they offer. Thus, more labour is needed to be employed in order to effect this hygiene. Like the food vendors, other traders are left equally disturbed because their commodities are all incrusted in red dust which in some cases may lead to depreciation in value, thus affecting price.
Undoubtedly, the physical wellbeing and socio-economic impact of this project is well pronounced, and if these people continue to breath contaminated air- filled with the silent killer dust, as a consequence of the abandoned road project, the aim of this government in ensuring that development is taken to the grassroots, has proved abortive.
Adam Naziru Ahmad,
Department of Agriculture,
University of Jos.
