Children miss school as Nabitu road condition worsens

Residents of Nabitu in Nadroga are calling for urgent repairs to their only access road, saying months of neglect have disrupted daily life.

Heavy rainfall has damaged about 3.5 kilometres of dirt road, making it difficult for vehicles to pass. Residents claim the road has not been maintained since October last year.

Farmer Shammi Ram said Rural Service Licence (RSL) and school bus services had stopped operating along Nabitu No. 2 Road because of its poor condition.

“As a result, children have stopped going to school,” he said.

He added that elderly residents with serious medical conditions were unable to access Raiwaqa Health Centre or Sigatoka Hospital.

Another resident, Pandit Avinay Sharma, said about 102 farmers were struggling to transport produce to the Sigatoka market and other towns.

Member of Parliament Joseph Nand called on the minister responsible to address the issue urgently.

“I think the District Office in Sigatoka has failed in its duties to assist with regular maintenance and provide guidance to district advisory councillors,” he said.

Mr Nand also urged the Office of the Commissioner Western to look into the matter.

“The people of Nabitu are sick and tired of waiting for road maintenance and are losing confidence in the Government’s service delivery,” he said.

Fiji Roads Authority Nadi–Sigatoka acting general manager Shivneel Kumar said a team had been mobilised to attend to the matter.

“We are aware of the concern raised and we had a team mobilised to the locality today,” he said.

“Within one or two weeks we should begin works in the area.”