Agbashi community laments poor state of road

For residents of Agbashi Community, Headquarter of Ekye Development Area of Doma Local Government in Nasarawa State, said the only access road connecting villages and hamlets under the community is a source of nightmare.

For years, they have cried out and made persistent pleas to the government to construct the 30 kilometre road, What they have however got in return was mere promises which are uncertain when it would materialise.

This was the dilemma of the inhabitants of Agbashi, a sprawling community in Nasarawa state where for years the people in the area live in desolate as result of bad road network and absence of government there.

The nature of the road gave birth to armed robbery attacks which usually have their field day unchallenged by security operatives.

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In fact, the worse of it all was the recent attacks of communities around them by Fulani headsmen, which has forced many residents to relocated to cities like Doma and Lafia.

Nigerian Tribune visited the community which is about 80 kilometers from the state capital Lafia, the entrance from the popular road at Idadu junction was a beehive of activities, as petty food sellers have their fulfilled day.

Idadu is largely dominated by commercial motorcyclists popularly known as going or okada, who mostly ply the road from the junction to towns and villages in the area.

A tour of the road revealed that many villages are under Ekye Development Area and they all have same stories to narrate when its comes to infrastructures.

Plying the road has been a nightmare for residents and visitors alike. From the junction to the various towns and villages around the area, there are ditches, potholes of mold sand with gravels at every spot.

Only the motorcyclists find it convenient navigating the road, and they charged exorbitantly.

For motorists, plying the road is like going through hell, but residents of the area say they have continued to endure it for years since they have no alternative.

The long-stretch road links with many communities, residents said if put in place would boast social economic activities in the area, with lots of food items coming out from there to urban towns for sale.

Cultivation of maize, yam, cassava, groundnut, rice, beans among many others crops were seen spring Greenish as evidence of the rich soil fertility in the area.

The people only relied on well and stream as the only sources of water, but the people did not bordered, because they have no other alternative.

Expressing concerns on the state of the road and other challenges, Mr Olumiya Isa Lawa, said Agbashi road has been a major challenged in the area, apart from the leaking roof in the General Hospital.

“We are facing a lot of challenges here, the major one is the road to this place. And the second is the leaking roof of this General Hospital, making us uncomfortable while working.

“We are pleading on with the Government to help us repair the road and the leaking roof of this hospital. These are our source of concerns at the moment”, he reiterated.

Again, a resident who spoke on condition of anonymity said: “We have been saying that this road is not going to serve only those of us who live around here. Even the government would benefit a lot from this road if constructed.”

He they have regretted that since the inception of the state and development area nothing had been done to alleviate their suffering, especially as it concerned the poor state of the road to Agbaahi.

Adding that the poor state of the road scared people away from coming to the community, describing it as a death trap because of incessant attacks on the road.

He also alleged that the present Government has intentionally abandoned the road, haven done many roads construction, but still could not salvage us from this stress.

“The Governor is aware of this road and its roughness, because he personally came here during conflict in this place.

“Although, we thought that the governor would do something, but he did not even grade the road, it was same story said by other Governors before him”, he added.