The traditional ruler of Omor in Ayamelum Local Government Area of Anambra State, Igwe Oranu Chris Chidume has called on the government to construct and maintain roads in rural areas to address the nation’s food crisis.
Speaking with journalists at his palace, Igwe Chidume emphasised that both Federal and State Governments must invest in construction of motorable roads in order to facilitate the easy distribution of farm produce from rural hinterlands to urban centres.
He noted that Ayamelum, known as the food basket of Anambra State and by extension, Nigeria, suffers from inadequate road infrastructure, which hampers the transportation of agricultural products.
He argued that the state should not prioritise road maintenance based on whether a road is federal or state-owned, but rather focus on providing access roads to people living in rural areas.
“If we don’t have access roads to bring out what we harvest from our farms, there is no way the food crisis we are experiencing will be eliminated,” Igwe Chidume explained.
“One of the easiest ways to curb the food crisis is to give access roads to those people that produce food so that food can reach the needy.”
He highlighted the deteriorating state of roads leading to Ayamelum, noting that residents incur high transportation costs due to inaccessibility.
“When you are coming to Ayamelum, you have to go through Igbariam and Nando, whereas from 33, you can come straight to Ayamelum but you cannot do that now because the road is cut off,” he lamented.
While acknowledging the government’s efforts in infrastructure development, Igwe Chidume urged Governor Chukwuma Soludo to prioritise road construction and maintenance in Ayamelum.
He praised the governor’s commitment to infrastructural progress but stressed the need for immediate attention to rural access roads to support the agricultural sector and alleviate food scarcity.