Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti has officially flaged off of the reconstruction of the 12.6 Kilometer Ohanze-Ntighauzo-Obete-Umuoha- Oberete-Akirika Obu Road which cuts across Obingwa and Ukwa East Local Governments.
The road which connects Abia to Akwa Ibom State would on completion, promote economic activities including the evacuation of farm produce to Aba and surrounding cities.
Speaking at the Orie Agalaba Junction, in Obingwa LGA, venue of the flag off ceremony, Governor Otti who titled his speech, “Still On The Crusade To Connect Our Communities”, described the road as strategic.
The Governor further noted that the Ohanze-Ntighauzo-Obete-Umuoha- Oberete-Akirika Obu Road is an economic live wire whose abandonment for several years by past administrations, “speaks to the profound neglect that this part of the state suffered for decades”.
He emphasized that the project will not just open up the area for more profitable investments in Agriculture, Real Estate, Hospitality and Retail Trade, but would also mark an end to years of waste and missed opportunities.
Governor Otti while noting that the project aligns with his administration’s development vision for the expansion of Aba, expressed committment to expanding the urban boundaries of the Enyimba city by extending quality infrastructure to the outskirtsto increase the appeal to prosperity and investment.
“This project I have to admit is very dear to my heart because it aligns perfectly with the development vision of the administration for the expansion of Aba as a major urban destination.
“We are committed to expanding the urban boundaries of our beloved Enyimba city by extending quality infrastructure to the outskirts as to increase the appeal to prosperity and investment, businesses and residents. Quality roads are only the foundation“, he said.
The Governor assured that his government would deploy available resources to accomplish it’s development priorities for the greater Aba urban corridor as well as work closely with the private sector to close the infrastructure gap between the city center and the suburbs.
“We shall not only deploy every resources available to us to accomplish our development priorities for the greater ABA urban corridor.
“We shall work with international organizations and other development partners around the world to turn this corridor into a major hub for agriculture and food processing enterprise.
“Our proposal to raise the size of Abs’s economy over the next few years will find great traction through projects such as this“, the Governor said.
He emphasized that the his administration’s grand development plan for the greater Aba urban corridor and the State at large would not be accomplished if the State does not generate sufficient revenue and encouraged the people to promptly pay their individual and business taxes to enable government fund projects.
In his goodwill message, Senator Darlington Nwokocha noted that Governor Otti has matched his words with action and brought integrity and dignity to governance.
He urged benefitting communities of the road project to take ownership of the project to ensure its timely completion and durability.
In his address, the Commissioner for Works, Mr Otumchere Otti who regretted that the road has been in a deplorable condition for many years, said on completion, the road would not only revitalize the communities, generate employment opportunities and new sense of hope for the people.
He noted that the project is an eloquent testimony that the Governor as a renowned economist is aware that infrastructural development remains the bedrock of socio-economic growth and prosperity of any society.
“This Government has placed on her priority list the provision of good road network as a step towards revitalisation of the state economy battered by the past administrations“, he said.
In their remarks, the Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu and his Petroleum counterpart, Prof.Joel Ogbonna while noting that the road will improve the economic well-being of his people, assured that the project marks a new beginning for greater democracy dividends for Akirika Obu people of Ukwa East and expressed the hope that the ongoing Ohanku road will be extended to Ukwa East LGA.
Prince Kanu particularly used the forum to draw the attention of the Governor to the existential problem confronting the people of Akirika Obu who have been facing constant threats to their lives from their Akwa-Ibom neighbors.
In their speeches, the Mayor, Obingwa LGA Mr Maxwell Nwadike and his Ukwa East LGA counterpart, Mr Chibunna Amara, thanked the Government for up the giant stride of reconstructing the road, noting that the Governor has shown the vision and passion to leave all nooks and crannies of Abia better than he met it.
