Port Harcourt Road, Aba: Between illusion of flag-off and reality of execution, By Ferdinand Ekeoma

Port Harcourt Road in Aba, a symbol of neglect for nearly three decades, has been reconstructed by Governor Alex Otti's administration. For almost 30 years, the road was a "wound" for residents, with mothers cursing while navigating ankle-deep mud and traders avoiding it as customers disappeared. Businesses died, transport fares tripled, and investors fled the area.

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For nearly 30 years, Port Harcourt Road in Aba was more than just a bad road. It was a wound.

Politicians had repeatedly promised to fix the road during election seasons but failed to deliver, deepening the people's suffering and loss of hope. The road became a symbol of broken trust and government betrayal.

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Where others saw “impossibility,” he saw “urgency.” Where others saw campaign materials and political tools to be exploited, he saw human beings who deserved dignity.

Governor Otti, however, approached the issue with urgency, deploying bulldozers from Julius Berger to rebuild the road. The reconstruction revitalized commerce, with shops reopening, landlords regaining hope, and students reaching schools on time. The road is now a vibrant economic artery, facilitating trade and attracting investment back to Aba, the commercial heart of the South-east.

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Roads are not just asphalt and drainage. They are economic arteries. When you fix a road like Port Harcourt Road, you don’t just fix transportation. You fix commerce. You fix jobs. You fix confidence.