Cross River House of Assembly on Friday passed the Rural Access Roads Authority Bill 2025, in a move to transform transportation infrastructure in rural areas across the state.
The bill, which received overwhelming support during its final reading, seeks to address infrastructural neglect in rural communities by creating an authority that will oversee construction and rehabilitation of access roads in rural areas.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the executive bill, sponsored by the House Leader, Mr Francis Asuquo, representing Odukpani State Constituency, went through first and second readings on April 8 and May 8.
It was later referred to the House Committee on Transport and Marine Services for further legislative procedures.
Presenting the committee’s report, Chairman of the committee, Mr Victor Nsa, reiterated the importance of rural roads, emphasising that they played a vital role in economic development.
Nsa, representing Calabar South II State Constituency, also noted that such roads facilitated trade and improved agricultural productivity, while enhancing the overall quality of life in rural communities.
He listed some challenges that impeded the development of rural roads to include poor quality jobs, poor funding and lack of maintenance, adding that the bill would address them.
“This bill will check the ugly trend, seeing that the authority will take responsibility of designing, managing, developing, reconstructing, rehabilitating and maintenance of classes C and D roads.
“This also includes other infrastructures, such as road furniture, bridges and drainage structures installed for purposes of efficient functioning,” he said.
According to him, the bill, which has six parts and 39 sections, will connect farmers to markets for their produce, while also providing access for agricultural inputs, leading to increased productivity and income generation.
Other lawmakers, who were unanimous in their support for the bill, emphasised the need for rural dwellers, who are mostly farmers, to have roads linking them to markets for their produce, thereby improving their standard of living.
They commended the proposed establishment of the authority, saying that it would focus on the development and maintenance of an effective rural road network.
On his part, Speaker of the house, Mr Elvert Ayambem, commended the House Transportation Committee, the sponsor of the bill, and all the lawmakers for working hard to fast track the procedures regarding the legislation.
Ayambem also commended Gov. Bassey Otu for his commitment to rural development, noting that the bill was a reflection of his “people first” mantra, aimed at ensuring the wellbeing of every resident of the state.
(NAN)