In May 2017, the former Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi, visited Aba after being invited by the Abia State Government to start the reconstruction of Port Harcourt Road.
People were hopeful. There was joy and celebration. Mr Umahi's visit made many excited because they believed the changes seen in Ebonyi would happen on Port Harcourt Road if the Abia leaders showed the same commitment.
But that hope never became reality.
For almost 30 years, Port Harcourt Road in Aba was more than just a bad road. It was a problem.
It was the road mothers cursed while carrying babies through muddy waters. It was the road traders avoided because customers stopped coming. It was the road landlords forgot because no one would rent a shop where deliveries were impossible.
Politicians only remembered this road during campaign periods. Every four years, they campaigned there, made promises, took photos, and disappeared until the next election. For nearly three decades, Port Harcourt Road became a sign of neglect, broken promises, and how a government could forget its people.
The impact was severe. Businesses shut down. Transport fares increased. Goods were damaged. Schools, churches, and factories closed. Investors left Port Harcourt Road and surrounding areas. With each rainy season, the suffering grew worse. People didn't just lose money on that road. They lost their hope.
Then came Governor Alex Otti.
He didn’t arrive with another speech. He had talked enough during the years of struggle. He came with bulldozers. And not just any bulldozers, but those from Julius Berger.
Where others saw “impossible,” he saw “urgent.” Where others saw campaign tools, he saw people who deserved better.
In record time, the road that had been neglected for years was rebuilt. Not just patched.
Now, you can drive from one end to the other without dodging potholes. Trucks move in and out smoothly. Shops that were closed for years have reopened. Buildings that lost value now have landlords smiling again. Students get to school on time. The sick reach hospitals without ambulances getting stuck. At night, the road is busy again, and businesses stay open late because the streetlights have chased away the dark.
Why does this matter to Ndi Abia?
It matters because of the road's importance. Because of the pain the people faced. Because of the unfair hardships they endured.
Roads are not just tar and drainage. They are vital for the economy.
When you fix a road like Port Harcourt Road, you don’t just improve transportation. You improve trade. You create jobs. You build confidence.
Trade gets a boost: Aba is the commercial center of the South-east. With good roads, goods move faster, prices drop, and markets grow beyond Abia.
Investors take notice: Investors look at how the government keeps its promises. A finished Port Harcourt Road sends a message: Abia is open for business.
Jobs are created: From construction workers to drivers, shop owners, and suppliers, better infrastructure means more jobs.
People's dignity is restored: No more trudging through floods. No more paying “road tax” to touts. People can move freely.
This is what good infrastructure does. It connects places and connects people to opportunities.
Governor Otti has shown what can happen when leadership is focused. He chose action over words. He chose results over promises. And, of course, impact over speeches.
The long wait for Port Harcourt Road should teach us one thing: neglect is costly, but commitment brings change.
Governor Otti has fulfilled his promises on many projects. Let us support him with patience and partnership so he can achieve even more.
When a government remembers its people, the people remember why they trusted the government in the first place.
It is not by chance that the same man, Mr Umahi, who flagged off Port Harcourt Road in 2017, returned to Abia in 2025 as a minister to commission the project. This happened because one man, Mr Otti, believes that a flag-off without real work is just an illusion, while actual work is the reality. It shows what can be done when leadership is driven by courage and sincerity.
Abia is rising again, and the people are happy about it.
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