The Impact Of Road Transport Infrastructure Development In Portharcourt Metropolis

ABSTRACT

This research assessed the Impact of Road Transport Infrastructure

Development in Port Harcourt. It also examined critically, the importance of

quality road infrastructure in Port Harcourt and its relative impact on the

Nigerian economic development. Relevant literatures on road infrastructure

development and its impact on Rivers State were reviewed. A time-series data

(2004 - 2016) on road infrastructure quality index (RIQI), GDP per capita, cost

of cargo haulage and volume of cargo, secondary data were obtained from

World Bank database and National Bureau of Statistics. These data were

analyzed using multi linear Regression analysis with the aid Statistical Package

for Social Scientist (SPSS V.20). From the result of the Regression analysis, the

quality of road infrastructure in Nigeria will increase GDP per capita by 96.9%

for every one percent increase in port infrastructure, Reduce Ship turnaround

time by 29.1% for every one percent increase in road infrastructure, Increase

by 20.9% for a percent increase in cost of freight and increase by 55.6% for a

percent increase in Cargo volume. . And also that expansion in vehicle fleet

makes a strong contribution to the revenue generated from the sector. The study

therefore concludes that road transport is a critical factor to the development of

any nation. Recommendations on how to make the system much more efficient

so that the benefits enshrined in the operation of the system could be optimally

maximized where presented in the study.

Key Words: Road, infrastructure, fleet, freight, Portharcourt, Cargo Volume