There was jubilation in some communities in Ukwa-East Local Government Area (LGA), as the member, representing Ukwa-East State Constituency in Abia state House of Assembly (ABHA), Hon. Lewis Obianyi commenced the creation of new ring roads.
Interacting with newsmen at Akanu-Ndoki Ukwa-East LGA recently, a medical practitioner, Dr. Charles Emuchay hailed the Abia Lawmaker for the road opening initiative which cut across Akanu, Mkpukpule and Azumini communities.
He added that it would boost economic activities and fortune of the rural populace.
Dr. Emuchay who wooed investors to the area, urged youths to take advantage of this development to improve their livelihoods.
Meanwhile a community leader in Akanu-Ndoki Chief Ekeke Steve, expressed delight over the creation of new ring roads by the Abia Lawmaker, stating that it would ease security patrol within adjoining communities, improve transportation of agricultural produce to major markets and enhance the land values of the area for real estate business among others.
Contributing, a former Councilor and the Palace Secretary, Ikwuoriator autonomous community who is precisely from Mkpukpule Ndoki, Ukwa-East LGA, Hon. Okechukwu Jacob commended the Lawmaker over the project, maintaining that the constituents are feeling his impacts barely eight months he assumed office in ABHA.
Fielding questions from newsmen, the Lawmaker who is also the chairman, House committee on Niger Delta Development commission (NDDC), said that the three kilometers ring roads opening is in line with one of his campaign promises, adding that the development would enhance farming and economic activities in the Area.
The Ndoki-born legislator who promised to continue to work hard to ensure that the living standard of his constituents gets improved, added that he would also extend the creation of new ring roads to all the 10 wards and 21 communities in his constituency.
On the development of Azumini blue river, the former chairman, Ukwa-East Local Government council, urged the Abia state Governor, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti OFR, to match his words of developing the tourist site with action.
He recalled that Gov. Otti had made a firm promise of developing the blue river during the ground breaking ceremony of Abia Industrial Innovation Park (AllP) in Owaza, Ukwa-West, stating that it should not be politics as usual.
In his words: “Successive governments had also made such promises but I believe that the New Abia mantra proposed by Gov. Otti would not tow the same line rather, put actions behind his words”.
The Abia lawmaker further revealed that the Azumini blue river located in Ukwa-East LGA, is 25Km away from Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State, 45Km away from Port-Harcourt and 15Km away from Aba remained an untapped goldmine.
Obianyi added that the tourism resort if fully developed would attract tourists across the three states of Abia, Rivers and Akwa-Ibom with its huge economic benefits.
He further urged Federal and State governments to look beyond oil revenue and explore tourism industry, disclosing that the industry represented 7.6 per cent of global Gross Domestic Products (GDP) in 2022 and contributed $7.7 Trillion to the global GDP.
