INFRASTRUCTURE DEFICIT: THE BANE OF ANY NATION - THE IBIANANG EDIENE EXAMPLE

 INFRASTRUCTURE DEFICIT: THE BANE OF ANY NATION - THE IBIANANG EDIENE EXAMPLE

Edet John

(edetjhn@gmail.com)

"Infrastructure is the backbone of economic growth. It improves access to basic services such as clean water and electricity, creates jobs and boost businesses." If the above quoted postulation by Alok Sharma; a British Politician in relation to infrastructural development is worth trusting in and depending upon, then there is an urgent need to build, rebuild and maintain basic infrastructure if the nation and her people must grow economically. 

The English dictionary defines infrastructure as the basic facilities, services and installations needed for the functioning of a community or society. It is the basic essential services that should be put in place to enable development to occur. They include but not limited to our roads, bridges, dams, floodwalls, airports, power grids, etc. They enable trade, power businesses, connect workers to their jobs and create opportunities for struggling communities.

Available literature reveals that one of the basic physical / developmental infrastructure needed to drive meaningful development in any rural community is a good and accessible road network. This is inarguably so as it do not only discourage rural-urban migration; it equally promote and encourage surge in businesses (mostly agro-based) which ultimately lead to an improved rural economy of that particular community.

Suffice to say that local farmers will be able to transport their farm produce to the markets where they are most needed with ease and at a cheaper rate. The resultant effect being an improved living condition for the people as increase in quantity of locally produced foodstuffs supplied to the market will, at a long run, lower the prices of those essential commodities. 

Unfortunately, that which is a necessity and one of the critical drivers of rural economy of Ibianang-Ediene/Edem Iyere communities in Ikono LGA has been abandoned and left unattended to. The bridge which originally served as a link between the two communities in Ikono axis of the Old Itu Road: a trunk A road spanning across Ikot Ekpene, Ikono and Ibiono Ibom Local Government Areas in Akwa Ibom State  collapsed not earlier than two (2) decades ago. This, at various times had claimed the lives of commuters (mostly women) plying that route in their search for greener pastures, as their motorcycles and bicycles slided off and plunged into the running water causing either death or severe injury. The remedial  measure undertaken by the combined effort of good-spirited youths from the two affected communities to avert the ugly, repulsive and uncomely situation from reoccuring is fast decaying, begging for lasting government intervention.

Hopes were raised and nerves were calmed when sometimes ago, a contract for reconstruction of the road in focus (including the collapsed bridge) was awarded and work commence in earnest. Many thanks to the then government of the day and the contractor who did what they could to fix the bad road. However, the contractor was demobilized from site and the most important aspect of the road (collapsed bridge) left abandoned even as at the time of this report. 

 

While the indigenes and inhabitants of the affected communities are appreciative that the only access road to the two communities was awarded and partially reconstructed, we equally plead with and call on the government of the day, critical stakeholders and everyone directly or indirectly connected to; be in position of and/or possesses the authority to order, instruct, direct or cause to direct those who are instrumental to abandoning the said bridge to return to site with the intent to completing the project for the benefit of all. 

Recall that Old Itu Road which span across 3 LGAs of Ikot Ekpene, Ikono and Ibiono Ibom local government areas in Akwa Ibom State was one of the busiest roads in the Old Cross River State as it served not just commuters and passers-by from the then eastern part of the state, it was also the only access road through which neigbouring states such as the old Imo state (now Abia / Imo) and some parts of Rivers state were linked to Calabar; the capital city of Cross River State.