A Case for a Road Asset Registry and Collaborative Advocacy for Sustainable Development.
By John Gaul Lebo
Road infrastructure is the foundation of economic growth, social integration and sustainable development. In Abi and Yakurr Federal Constituency, roads connect our farms to markets, our communities to schools and hospitals, and our people to opportunities.
The constituency depends on three categories of roads:
Federal Roads: Strategic highways linking our communities to national and interstate economic corridors.
State Roads: Roads connecting major towns and communities within Cross River State.
Rural and Community Roads: Farm access roads and community roads linking villages, markets, schools and health centres.
Based on existing road corridors, community distribution and available records, Abi and Yakurr Federal Constituency is estimated to have:
Federal Roads: Approximately 2 to 4 major road corridors.
State Roads: Approximately 15 to 25 roads connecting towns and communities.
Rural and Community Roads: More than 50 roads and access routes.
Total Road Network: Approximately 70 to 90 road corridors of varying lengths and conditions.
These figures reveal an important reality: the overwhelming majority of roads used daily by our people are not federal roads. Most roads that connect farms, villages, markets and townships are either state roads or rural/community roads.
This distinction is important because the Federal Government is generally not responsible for the construction and maintenance of state roads and rural roads. State roads are financed through state budgets and other financing mechanisms, while rural and community roads are primarily the responsibility of state and local governments, often supported by intervention agencies and development partners.
However, federal road projects executed within a state still have economic value to the state and are frequently reflected in state development plans and budget documents as capital expenditure receipts or capital transfers accruing to the state's infrastructure ecosystem.
In practical terms, when the Federal Government rehabilitates or constructs a federal road in Cross River State, the state benefits through improved connectivity, increased economic activities and reduced pressure on state resources.
Nevertheless, we cannot count on the Federal Government and federal road projects alone to develop road infrastructure in the communities of Abi and Yakurr Federal Constituency.
The Federal Government manages thousands of kilometres of roads across Nigeria while balancing competing priorities in security, healthcare, education, energy and debt obligations. State and local governments also operate under fiscal constraints. Waiting indefinitely for federal interventions is therefore not a sustainable development strategy.
The solution is to adopt a more strategic and collaborative approach through the establishment of a Road Asset Registry for Abi/Yakurr Federal Constituency.
A Road Asset Registry is a comprehensive inventory of:
Federal roads and their condition.
State roads and connectivity status.
Rural and community roads.
Bridges and culverts.
Road lengths and pavement conditions.
Priority rehabilitation projects.
Estimated construction and maintenance costs.
Such a registry transforms advocacy from political rhetoric into evidence-based planning. It enables lawmakers, government agencies, development partners and investors to make decisions based on credible data and clearly defined priorities.
Beyond documentation, there is also a need for a Collaborative Advocacy Strategy involving the Member representing Abi/Yakurr Federal Constituency, members of the Cross River State House of Assembly, the Governor, local governments, traditional rulers, youth and women groups, development partners and the private sector.
This collaboration should pursue funding from multiple sources including federal and state budgets, local government investments, intervention agencies, public-private partnerships, development finance institutions and diaspora contributions.
The future of Abi and Yakurr cannot be built on isolated road projects or seasonal political promises. It must be built on institutions, reliable data and a shared commitment to sustainable development.
A Road Asset Registry is therefore more than a technical document. It is a development blueprint—a strategic tool that will help our constituency identify priorities, mobilize resources and create a resilient road network that supports prosperity for present and future generations.
John Gaul Lebo
@gaul.lebo@yahoo.com
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