The Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe has commissioned the tripartite Old Court Road, Kent/ Ehi Road, in Aba built by Governor Alex Otti.
Speaking during the ceremony, Igwe Achebe described the Governor as God sent to restore the glory of Abia and place the state at it’s pride of place as number one after 24 years of decadence.
Igwe Achebe
He noted that Aba people are known for creativity, Industry and resilience, pointing out that since the assumption of the Governor Otti, things have started to change for the better.
The Royal Father who expressed confidence that the Governor would live up to expectations, haven begun on a good note, called for more support by the people to enable him continue to deliver the dividends of democracy for the betterment of all citizens.
In his speech, Governor Otti noted that his administration is people centric and emphasized that the most important part of governance is to work for the overall betterment of the people.
The Governor while recalling the horrible state of the road before it’s construction, said he was moved to intervene on the road despite not being in the original list of roads to be constructed and expressed happiness over the completion of the roads in barely three months.
“When I came here in February, I came to inspect Port Harcourt Road and I wanted to see what was happening at Ndoki Road and from there I walked through this place and the old Court road and what I saw shocked me.
“I knew the situation was bad but I didn’t know it was that bad and I saw people who were resilient with a lot of energy sweeping through the pond which should have been a road to access their shops to access their places of livelihood.
“I was moved and I said even though this was not in the original list of priority projects for us this road had to be done. That is the Genesis of this road.
“I gave instructions that I wanted this road fixed and I wanted it to be fixed the way our roads are fixed. I am happy that three months down the line the roads are now standing”, the Governor noted.
Jubilant Aba residents
He highlighted that the quality of the roads were done according to high quality standards and specification, thanked the contractor, supervisors as well as the Direct Labour Agency of the Ministry of Works for collaborating to ensure timely delivery.
Governor Otti who used the opportunity to announce that his administration would next month commence the reconstruction of the Enyimba Hotel Aba as a Five Star Hotel said, “the hotel is going to be a Five Star Hotel”.
“On the hill of the hotel will be a convention center and then across the hotel by the waterside will be a state of the art park and gardens.
“All these are geared towards making Aba one of the best cities in the Southeast, if not Nigeria”.
While emphasizing the his government came prepared to govern, Governor Otti stated that he is opening industrial layouts in the state in addition to empowering the private sector to work and create employment opportunities for the people and called on manufacturers and industrialists to come back and invest in the state.
He assured that under the present adminstration,Aba will regain her status in the comity of states across the country adding that never again will the people go back to Egypt.
In an address earlier, the Commissioner for Works, Engr. Otumchere Oti, said that the old Court Road was earlier impassable before the Governor’s directive for its reconstructed three months ago.
The Commissioner stated that the road with 561 meters long connects Ehi road by Ngwa road adding that the road adorned with street lights, was done through direct Labour by Engineers from the state Ministry of Works.
He said that the 1.2km Kent by Ehi road was done by a reputable construction firm and was carefully done to ensure free flow of traffic, enhance socio -economic development and boost the state’s IGR and urged residents to safeguard the infrastructure.
