Ben Ezechime, Enugu
The Enugu State House of Assembly has called on Governor Peter Mbah to constitute the Board of the Enugu State Road Maintenance and Development Agency, in line with the law establishing the agency.
The board is expected to be formed in compliance with the Enugu State Road Maintenance and Development Agency Law, enacted in 2022 and assented to by former Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
The motion, moved by the member representing Igbo-Eze North State Constituency II, Hon. Clifford Obe, sought the immediate constitution and inauguration of the board.
Presenting the motion, Obe said the step was necessary to strengthen the institutional framework for effective and sustainable road maintenance across the state. He lamented that although the law establishing the agency had been in place since 2022, the governing board had neither been constituted nor inaugurated.
According to him, the situation has hindered the agency’s operations, weakened oversight functions, stalled decision-making, and frustrated resource mobilization.
Supporting the motion, the Minority Leader, Chief Iloabuchi Aniagu, noted that an operational board would ensure prompt road maintenance to prevent total road collapse. He argued that maintaining roads was more cost-effective than reconstructing them, adding that a functional board would also ease the workload of the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure.
Aniagu urged the state government to activate the board so it can effectively discharge its mandate.
Another lawmaker, Hon. Okey Mbah, said the board would be of great benefit to the state as it would reduce the frequency and cost of road reconstruction. He added that beyond saving funds, the House had a duty to ensure that laws passed were fully implemented.
He maintained that constituting the board without further delay would strengthen road governance, enhance service delivery, and promote a sustainable road maintenance culture in the state.
In his remarks, Speaker of the House, Chief Uche Ugwu, commended Obe and the co-sponsors of the motion for their commitment to improving road infrastructure in Enugu State.
