Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has described the reconstruction of the 19.79-kilometre Buguma-Degema-Abonnema Road as a major milestone for his administration, saying a project once considered an imagination has now become a reality.
Governor Fubara stated this during the inauguration of the road at Team Junction in Asari-Toru Local Government Area, as he commenced a week-long programme of project commissioning across the state.
The governor said the road was in a deplorable condition before his administration undertook its reconstruction, subjecting residents, motorists and other road users to years of hardship.
Recalling his personal experience on the road, Fubara said he once felt ashamed while driving through the area for a ceremony because of its poor condition.
He stressed that the experience reinforced the need for urgent intervention, noting that his administration’s priority was to execute projects that would have a direct and positive impact on the lives of the people.
Fubara said the successful completion of the road had strengthened his confidence in seeking the continued support of the people for his political party.
He, however, acknowledged that more infrastructure was required in the riverine communities and assured residents that his administration remained committed to completing the ongoing Trans-Kalabari Road project.
According to him, the Trans-Kalabari Road would further open up the area, improve connectivity among communities and stimulate economic activities across the Kalabari Kingdom.
The Buguma-Degema-Abonnema Road, awarded in September 2024, involved the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the 19.79-kilometre road and seven bridges.
The special guest of honour, King Disreal Gbobo Bobo-Manuel, Amayanabo of Abonnema, who performed the formal ribbon-cutting ceremony, commended Governor Fubara for responding to the longstanding demand of the people for improved road infrastructure.
The monarch said the project had transformed transportation in the area while opening the communities to greater economic opportunities.
He said improved road access had also reduced the hazards previously associated with travelling by water to Port Harcourt, the state capital.
“For you to leave any of our communities for Port Harcourt, you must, as a matter of fact, go into fasting and prayers; otherwise, you are not sure of getting to your destination. That’s how the Emohua-Tema Road was born,” he said.
King Bobo-Manuel thanked the governor for embarking on the project, saying it had saved residents from the calamities and difficulties associated with the former transportation situation.
“Today, I can leave my place in Abonnema by 10am and I will be wherever I want to be in Port Harcourt before 11am. In the past, it was impossible,” he said.
According to the traditional ruler, the improved road network would lay the foundation for a future industrial revolution in the area by creating an enabling environment for investment and economic growth.
He also commended Governor Fubara for the ongoing Trans-Kalabari Road project, describing it as another major intervention capable of connecting more Kalabari communities and accelerating development in the region.
“I tell you, even if we are not saying it directly to you, in every home in Kalabari land, people remember you for that particular project,” he added.
The inauguration was attended by political associates and supporters of the governor, including members of the Simplified Movement, as well as residents and stakeholders from communities along the road corridor.
