CROSS RIVER STATE — Residents in oil-producing communities around Bakassi and Akpabuyo Local Government Areas of Cross River State have reportedly resorted to self-help road construction as poor infrastructure continues to affect daily life in the region.
Residents in the affected communities disclosed this development while speaking to a DDM correspondent Friday, describing how years of neglect forced them to take responsibility for building and repairing their own roads.
DDM notes that locals in the affected communities have begun using personal funds, labour, and makeshift tools to repair and create access roads linking villages and nearby towns.
The oil-rich coastal belt of Cross River, particularly around the Bakassi Peninsula and adjoining Akpabuyo axis, has faced persistent infrastructure challenges, including poor road connectivity, flooding issues, and limited government-maintained access routes.
Residents say the condition of roads has made transportation of goods, movement to schools, and access to healthcare increasingly difficult, forcing communities to intervene directly.
Some community members have reportedly filled potholes, cleared bush paths, and attempted to stabilize muddy road sections to allow basic vehicular movement.
The development highlights a wider pattern across parts of the Niger Delta, where resource-producing communities often rely on self-help projects despite expectations of improved infrastructure due to oil presence.
Observers note that while Cross River is being newly recognized in some oil verification reports, many of its coastal and riverine communities still lack basic public infrastructure.
Community leaders have called on both state and federal authorities to urgently intervene, stressing that road development is essential for economic activity and social stability.
Infrastructure experts caution that while community-led efforts show resilience, they are not sustainable substitutes for engineered government road projects.
The situation continues to fuel debate over development priorities in oil-bearing regions and the need for equitable infrastructure distribution.
As residents in Bakassi and Akpabuyo continue their self-help efforts, pressure is mounting on authorities to address long-standing infrastructural gaps in the coastal communities of Cross River State.
