The Abia State Government and other critical stakeholders have been advised on the need for a road sector reform that would include a refined road classification system, a Rural Access Road Agency (RARA) and a State Road Fund (SRF) through the Abia State Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (Abia RAAMP).
The RAAMP National Coordinator, Engr. Aminu Bodinga, represented by the National Infrastructural Engineer, Engr. Bukar Gana who disclosed this during a consultancy visit to some stakeholders in Umuahia, Abia State capital recently, explained that the creation of a road maintenance agency, as well as a State Road Fund to finance it, will ensure that rural roads constructed by RAAMP, as well as State roads are maintained and sustained even years after Project implementation.
Contributing, Mr Maysam Abedin, the lead consultant engaged by the RAAMP Federal Project Management Unit (FPMU) and the World Bank, revealed that the reason for his visit was to sample the opinion of relevant stakeholders and then, provide advisory services in a bid to ascertain the best achievable practices in ensuring that roads built to last are maintained after construction for road users.
Meanwhile, the Abia State Government has reiterated its resolve to continuously partner with relevant bodies in providing critical basic amenities to the rural populace.
The Commissioner, Abia state Ministry of Rural Development and Poverty Reduction, Mazi Donatus Okorie who stated this, assured the development partners of government’s support in opening up the rural areas as a way of diversifying the economy base of the government and reduce poverty to it’s bearest minimum among others.
He commended the state coordinator, Abia RAAMP, Dr. John Babington Chibunna for his efforts in keeping the agency on course, noting that Abia state governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu is committed towards delivering the dividends of democracy to Abians.
In his remark, the Project Coordinator, Abia RAAMP, Dr. Chibunna, thanked the Governor Ikpeazu’s led administration for its unwavering support to the project and assured that his team will not fail in achieving the developmental goals for which the State keyed into the World Bank and French Development Agency (AfD) assisted project in the State.
He highlighted that the aim of RAAMP is to ensure good and accessible roads in the State, as well as providing standard Agro-logistic centers in the rural areas which will in turn, boost agricultural productivity, create employment opportunities, among other benefits.
He thanked all Stakeholders for their consistent support towards the project, while assuring all Abians that the project will soon be implemented in the State to the benefit of all.
Stakeholders visited were: State Chapter of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), State Chapter of Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), State Chapter of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) State Ministry of Rural Development, State Ministry of Justice, State Ministry of Finance, State Minustry of Works, State Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs among others.
