Motorists across Abia State may soon find relief with the improvement of road infrastructure as the Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, Thursday, embarked on assessment of Federal government projects across the state.
Engr Umahi, a former Governor of Ebonyi State, was joined in the visit by the Deputy Chairman Senate Committee on Public Accounts, Senator Onyekachi Nweobonyi, and the Southeast Director Federal Highway Engr. B. U. Obioha, , among others.
Speaking during a courtesy visit to Abia state Governor, Dr Alex Otti, Umuahi,informed that Abia has about 11 Federal government road projects ongoing in the state.
He listed them to include;Section One of the Port Harcourt-Enugu Express Road, which runs from Lokpanta to Abia Tower in Umuahia, which is hundred percent completed with a Trailer Park; Section Two of the road runs from Umuahia Tower to Aba; Rehabilitation of Umuahia-Ikwuano to Ikot Ekpene-Umudike Road with a length of 49.2 kilometers; Section of Nkporo-Abiriba-Ohafia Road, awarded in 2012, that has been abandoned; Bende-Arochukwu-Ohafia section one, awarded in 2018; Aba-Owerri Road, awarded in 2020 and others.
He solicited Governor Otti’s assistance in resolving affecting the building of a trailer park at Arungwa Aba,emphasizing the importance of state-federal collaboration and private sector involvement in its development.
The former Ebonyi state Governor commended Governor Otti for the proactive measures and visible achievements recorded within his first 100 days in office.
Umuahi, despite his reservations about the customary 100-day celebration, lauded Governor Otti for the tangible developments witnessed across Abia State since he assumed office and expressed optimism that Otti will make Abia and the entire South East zone proud.
He stressed the importance of governance that prioritizes delivering results that the people can see, emphasizing that meaningful progress extends beyond arbitrary timeframes.
“Let me thank you for a lot of improvement that you have done in the State just few months now. I don’t believe in 100 days in office, I don’t believe in two years in office, I believe in working for the people and let the people see what you are doing.
“There is nothing meaningful that anybody who intends to work can achieve in 100 days. You may not even design a meaningful project in 100 days. But we have been seeing what you’ve been doing because you’ve been around, you understand the pains of your people.
“And so I commend you and also congratulate Abia people because they are going to see quite progress”, Umahi said.
In his response, Governor Otti expressed gratitude for the Minister’s visit to Abia state and reaffirmed his government’s commitment to partnering with the Federal Government to enhance the state’s Federal Roads.
The Governor raised concerns about the extended travel times between Aba and Port Harcourt, and added that the state government has already engaged the CCECC construction company, , to do some palliative works on the road and get one of the lanes working.
He expressed the state government’s interest in reviving the Umuahia-Bende-Abriba-Ohafia-Arochukwu Federal road project, which had suffered delays and abandonment in the past and expressed his willingness to allocate funds to expedite the project.
“If I’m able to find money, I will like to do the road and whenever he (the president) is able to, he will reimburse us. We believe that we should support the Federal Government in delivering dividends of democracy to our people.” Governor Otti remarked.
