Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia on Monday inaugurated 1.5 km Egege and 2.3 km Osusu roads in Aba with a promise to continually build roads that would outlive his tenure.
Speaking during the inauguration in Aba, Ikpeazu said that the state government remained committed to building roads to make up the infrastructure deficit in Abia.
The governor said that the economic significance of the roads could not be overemphasised because of their contributions to the socio-economic development of the state.
According to him, by 2014 there was no inroad for people coming into the area from Akwa Ibom to perform commercial activities.
“The reason for these projects is to ventilate the city for easy flow of traffic in and out of Aba.
“Rigid pavement technology was chosen to ensure that we deliver roads that would not develop issues of perennial failure,” Ikpeazu said,
He said that Abia Government was desirous to deliver high quality infrastructure, saying that its development agenda was focused on transforming Aba into an investors’ haven.
Ikpeazu urged the people in the area to create a neighbourhood watch that would ensure that there would be no act of vandalism of the projects.
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In his speech, Mr Bob Ogu, the Commissioner for Information, said that the roads had been impassable for over five years and expressed joy that solid infrastructure had been delivered to the people.
Ogu said: “This road will be in good condition for 40 years and I urge residents to desist from dumping refuse in the drains because it has the possibility of causing the roads to fail.
“Let us take responsibility by protecting the infrastructure built by the state government.”
In his remark, Mr Chimehilura Ikonne, the Chairman of Aba North Local Government Area, thanked the state government for meeting the yearnings of the people of the area.
Ikonne said that the achievements of the state government had set a tall standard for him, saying that he strongly believed the project would stand the test of time.
Also, Mr Emmanuel Ebere, the Chairman of Aba South Local Government Area, commended the state government for its determination to take Abia to greater heights.
Ebere said that the newly-inaugurated roads would alleviate the suffering of the people and improve their means of livelihood.
Speaking with newsmen, Mr Uzoma Onuoha, the Project Contractor, described the reconstruction of Osusu road as a restoration of residents’ means of livelihood.
Onuoha said that: “Osusu road was a dumpsite due to abandonment and neglect as it had over six dump sites.
“The road was 6 metres wide but it had been expanded to 14 metres in width and the drains were expanded to increase the size of run-off water.”