Gov. Alex Otti of Abia has formally commissioned the dilapidated Umuahia-Uzuakoli-Akara-Ohafia Road for rehabilitation.
In a speech at the event held at Umuyota Village, near Umuahia, Otti said that the project was in line with his government’s agenda on infrastructure development.
He also said that fixing the road infrastructure became necessary in order to open up the state for smooth transportation and enhanced economic activities.
The governor further said that the project was part of the present administration’s resolve to fulfill its campaign promises to the people.
He affirmed his commitment to rebuild Abia, adding that he would not be deterred by the current economic instability and challenges in the country.
“Whatever is the situation, this government will fulfill the promises it made to you and I urge you to be patient and optimistic as better days are ahead.
“This is a tip of the iceberg, expect more from us in the coming days,” Otti said.
According to him, the project is divided into three sections and will be handled by Craneburg Construction Company, Ferotex Construction Company and CCECC Nigeria Limited.
He said that the decision to award the project to three contractors was to get it completed and delivered in record time.
Otti said that the State Government had set up a monitoring mechanism to track the performance of the contractors.
“This is to ensure that everything would be done according to specification.
“We have competent engineers, who would keep watch not because we don’t trust you, but we want to be sure that what we signed on the contract is exactly what is done.
“I would like to tell you that you will be seeing me from time to time, sometimes with my measuring tape to cross check that what we are paying for is what we are getting.
“We don’t want hanky panky or low quality job, because we will not tolerate it.
“More importantly, there are no cost overruns, variations, time over run.
“Everything must be delivered according to the specification that was agreed on,” the governor said.
He expressed the government’s determination to build roads that would strategically reposition the state, facilitate employment and wealth creation as well as boost rural economy.
“We want people who are doing business in all the nooks and crannies of Abia to be able to evacuate their products and come to the townships to sell them.
“We want all our leaders to feel free to come back to their villages, spend time and money there and stimulate their economy, so that our people will also have a good life, that is also how an economy works,” Otti said.
He thanked the people for their support and urged them to carry out their civic responsibility of paying their taxes to enable government to rebuild the state.
In an address, the Commissioner for Works, Mr Otumchere Oti, said that the road would be rehabilitated into a two lane asphaltic concrete carriage way with 1.5meter wide asphaltic concrete shoulders.
Oti said: “The scope of work includes repair of failed sections with stone-base material and asphaltic concrete binder course, construction of culverts and drains and repair of wash outs.
“The low lying areas will also be raised to forestall water flooding the road.
“The entire road will then be overlayed with 40 millimeter asphaltic wearing course and street lights will also be provided at built up areas.”
He urged the host communities to give the contractors maximum assistance whenever the need arose, bearing in mind that they were working for the collective good of the people.
Earlier, the Transition Committee Chairman of Umuahia North Local Government Area, Chief Victor Ikeji, commended the governor for being “a visionary leader on a mission to transform the state”.
Ikeji said: “The governor has proven that it is not rocket science to develop the society and, in less than one year, he has transformed Abia into a huge construction site.”
“He has proven that from day one, he was prepared for this job.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the three sections of the project, included Umuahia to Uzuakoli, Uzuakoli to Akara and Akara to Ohafia.
NAN further reports that the governor also performed similar commissioning of the other two sections for work to commence. (NAN)
