Abia state Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, has called on the federal government to urgently intervene in the deplorable state of federal roads in the state.
The Governor in a series of tweets via his official twitter handle @GovernorIkpeazu, noted that almost all roads linking Abia to other states are in total disrepair. He expressed concern over the untold hardship this has caused road users and business owners.
“Abia as a State bordered by seven other States is replete with a number of federal roads cutting across the State into other States. However, almost all of such roads are in a state of total disrepair, causing untold hardship to road users from across the country.
“I call for the urgent intervention of Nigeria Govt in revamping these roads which include: Aba-PH segment of Enugu-PH Highway, Aba-Ikot Ekpene & Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene Roads linking Abia to Akwa Ibom and Cross River States, and Umuahia-Ohafia-Arochukwu Rd among others,” he said.
Governor Ikpeazu, whose administration built alternative roads to other states, feared that Abia might be landlocked if nothing is done to salvage the situation urgently. He went on to disclose that the state received a letter from the federal government to stop an ongoing construction work it embarked upon along a federal road.
“Given that our people have trade and commerce as their main source of livelihood, landlocking Abia will amount to asphyxiation of our citizens. Save for the alternative new road we did between Akwa Ibom and Aba through Ekwereazu, the plight of our traders would have been unimaginable!
“We therefore appeal for immediate FGN intervention on these roads including Osisioma Owerrinta through the NNPC Depot in Osisioma where we have been stopped from continuing our work by the Feferal Ministry of Works through a letter we received just yesterday,” he concluded.
