A document from the Rural Development Department of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shows that President Muhammadu Buhari completed the construction of 1,583.20 kilometers of rural road projects out of 6,398 kilometers requests from communities and states.
Of the 51 percent of Nigeria’s population living in the rural areas, about 65-70 percent depend on agriculture as their chief source of livelihood providing 60-80 percent of the food needs of the nation.
This population is scarcely served with basic infrastructures such as good roads, potable water, and electricity. Of the estimated 132,000km of rural roads representing 68 percent of Nigeria’s total road network, only 10 percent of it has been developed for effective transportation leaving the rural people to depend mostly on walking or trekking as a means of transportation.
According to the document, it was revealed that in 2016 there was a demand for 592km of the rural road project, and the government delivered 96km which represents a 16.20 percent and 84.80 percent deficit.
In 2017, 780km of rural roads were requested, and the government constructed 156km representing 20 percent with an 80 percent deficit. The government 2018 received requests to construct 1500km of rural roads; it delivered 787km which represents 52 percent with a deficit of 48 percent.
The document further noted that in 2019, there was a request for the construction of 1720km of roads and the government delivered 40.5km leaving a deficit of 97.60 percent and 2.40 percent of the request was achieved.
In 2020, there was a request for government to construct 1806km of rural roads, a total of 503.7km was constructed which amounted to 27.90 percent achievement and a 72.10 percent deficit.
In 2021, 2003km of rural road construction was received, and the government delivered 182.23km leaving a deficit of 91 percent while it achieved 9 percent. Then in 2022, out of 2024km of rural road requests, the government constructed 119km which represents an achievement of 5.80 percent and a deficit of 94.2 percent.
In total, the document shows that there were 6398km of rural road construction requests, and the government delivered 1,583.20km, which is 29.40 percent achievements with a 70.60 percent deficit.
The document said the poor rural road network induces the high cost of transportation; reduces the ability to access high-quality inputs; limits the use of local markets for sales of their products as well as the purchase of consumer goods and opportunities for off-farm employment.
It also said poor road access has, nevertheless, put constraints on the rural poor in terms of access to other social infrastructures such as education and health facilities.
It said rural access roads play a crucial role in promoting economic, social, and cultural development. Improvement in road connectivity not only assures development but also accelerates the process of development.
The document further noted that rural roads encourage the production of perishable agricultural produce such as eggs, fruits, vegetables, milk, and other dairy products. As these are best produced in rural areas, rapid and efficient transit is essential to ensure their availability in far-off market centers or urban markets in fresh and good condition.