In a significant step towards fulfilling his campaign promise, Abia state Governor, Dr Alex Otti has flagged off the reconstruction of the 6.8 kilometre Port Harcourt Road in Aba with a promise of renewed prosperity and infrastructural development for the state.
The Port Harcourt Road Aba, which was constructed in the 1980s during the administration of the late Sam Mbakwe, was once a bustling hub for economic activities but had fallen into disrepair and abandonment over the past two decades with subsequent neglect by previous administrations.
Recall that Governor Otti on April 27th 2023, led representatives of Julius Berger on an inspection tour of the Aba Port Harcourt road to get a general overview of the scope of work to be done and other fundamental details that would guide the technical designs and specifications.
Speaking during the flag-off ceremony, Governor Otti, amidst the enthusiastic cheers of a massive crowd, in a speech titled “Building On A Solid Rock Of Excellence”, expressed his unwavering commitment to restore the road to its former glory.
The Governor while highlighting the decline of the road in the 1990s and its subsequent neglect by previous administrations, emphasized that the reconstruction was not a mere political gesture for short-term gain but a holistic effort to restore the road’s durability and economic significance.
He pointed out that his administration enlisted the expertise of Julius Berger Plc; a renowned civil engineering company in Nigeria with a reputation for delivering landmark projects to ensure the highest quality.
The Government expressed belief that the reconstruction of Port Harcourt Road Aba will drive economic rejuvenation and open for the economic development for investments to thrive.
He said; ” I am glad that we are taking yet another strategic step in fulfilling one of my major campaign promises which is to permanently break the jinx of Port Harcourt Road Aba and revive the long-abandoned economic activities along this corridor, activities that once gave Aba a set of peculiar advantages, starting from the early 1980s when our revered leader, Dee Sam Mbakwe, Governor of Old Imo State, constructed this road to feed into the expansion of the booming oil industrial complex in Port Harcourt.
“Perhaps I should go on and announce that I am partly fulfilled that we have reached another milestone in what had been a very long process which started immediately after my victory was announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on the 22nd of March 2023”.
He pledged to complete the payment to Julius Berger on schedule to avoid any setbacks arising from delayed payment adding that the project has a delivery timeline of 18 months.
“My expectation is that whatever needs to be done to meet the target would be done, including working round the clock. On our own part, we have set up a robust financing structure to see that we complete the payment on schedule to eliminate any setbacks arising from payment delays“, Otti said
Governor Otti who expressed gratitude to the people of Aba for their patience and commitment to genuine change, urged them to cooperate fully with the construction team, assuring that the short-term sacrifices would lead to long-term benefits for the economic nerve centre of the state.
The Governor said that his administration’s ambition is to reset the fundamentals of the city by improving economically significant roads, waste management, and various social infrastructure as well as creating a conducive environment for businesses to thrive, job creation and poverty reduction.
He assured the people of that his administration was dedicated to delivering on its promises adding that the forthcoming months would witness a significant transformation in the city’s infrastructure and economic landscape.
In his remarks, the Group Managing Director Julius Berger Nigeria Limited, Dr Lars Richter said that the company will deliver the project based on specification, describing the project as another milestone for the 4-month-old administration of Governor Alex Otti.
He commended Governor Alex Otti for his commitment to the infrastructural revolution of the state and thanked him for making Julius Berger part of his rebuilding agenda of the state.
