Sustainable Socio-Economic Development In Nigeria: A Case For Road Infrastructure Maintenance

Abstract

Roads are among the vital assets of any nation. Apart from carrying people, vehicles and goods, roads also provide avenues for such service apparatuses as water, electricity, sewerages, etc. thereby serving as a veritable tool for socio-economic development. A close look at the Nigerian road network reveals the enormous infrastructural systems problems. These problems, in the main, are more maintenance related. Since the provision of roads is cost intensive, one would have expected appropriate maintenance to safeguard them from total deterioration which ultimately leads to eventual rehabilitation or reconstruction with its cost implications. Regrettably, this is not so in the country for no sooner these road infrastructure are commissioned than they are abandoned to dilapidate. Roads, like any other development assets function maximally over the whole period of their economic life when regular maintenance is applied. This paper therefore examined the road maintenance situation in Nigeria and concluded that there is virtually no noticeable road maintenance culture in the country. It therefore proffers pro-active road maintenance strategies for sustainable socio-economic development and good governance.

Keywords: Infrastructure, Road Maintenance, Sustainability and Economic Development.