Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has paid a sudden visit to Abia State to inspect on-going federal road projects in the state.
The former Ebonyi State Governor seized the opportunity to commend Governor Alex Otti for his impressive performances so far in office.
Umahi said that the achievements recorded in the past 100 days of Otti’s administration were strong indications that Abia was in for glory days.
He described Otti’s coming on board as not only a blessing to Abia but the entire South-East geo-political zone.
Umahi said that although he was not an apostle of 100 days celebration, Otti had demonstrated commitment to deliver.
“His handwork is already showing,” Umahi declared, adding that South-East needs performers.
“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 during a courtesy visit to Governor Otti, while assuring that Otti will make Abia and the South-East proud.
Umahi who disclosed that Abia had 11 on-going federal road projects , said he came to inspect the quality of work done by the contractors.
He identified some of the roads as Section One of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Express Way which runs from Lokpanta to Abia Tower in Umuahia (now 100% per cent completed with a Trailer Park); and Section Two of the road which runs from Umuahia Tower to Aba.
Others include the Rehabilitation of Umuahia-Ikwuano to Ikot Ekpene-Umudike Road with a length of 49.2 kilometers; a section of Nkporo-Abiriba-Ohafia Road, awarded in 2012, that had been abandoned; Bende-Arochukwu-Ohafia section one, awarded in 2018; Aba-Owamongerri Road, awarded in 2020; and others.
The Minister solicited Governor Otti’s help to sort out the issues affecting the building of a trailer park at Arungwa Aba, saying that the State Government should acquire the place and partner the Federal Government to develop it with the private sector.
In his response, Gov. Otti lauded the Minister for visiting Abia and expressed his government’s preparedness to partner the Federal Government in fixing the federal roads in the state.
The Governor noted with deep concern, the plight of motorists and commuters plying Aba -Port Harcourt Express Way, describing it as hellish.
He regretted that a journey that ordinarily should not exceed 30 minutes now takes over three hours to complete.
Otti, therefore, pleaded for urgent federal intervention to mitigate the plights of the people.
He further decried the negative impact of the deplorable condition of the Expressway on markets in Aba.
Otti informed the Minister that he had already engaged a construction company, CCECC, to do some palliative works on the road and make one of the lanes at least passable pending a full rehabilitation.
He also hinted the Minister of his contemplation to rehabilitate the dilapidated Umuahia-Bende-Abriba-Ohafia federal road all the way to Arochukwu, and later engage the Federal Government for refund.
The Governor recalled that the federal road which was first awarded by the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) when former President Muhammadu Buhari was the Chairman of PTF, under General Sani Abacha, was abandoned and later re-awarded in 2011 by erstwhile President Goodluck Jonathan and also abandoned.
“If I’m able to find money, I will like to do the road and whenever he is able to, he will reimburse us. We believe that we should support the Federal Government in delivering dividends of democracy to our people.”
