On two different occasions, the governor of Abia State has been adjudged to have performed beyond expectations considering the state of the nation’s economic situation as it affects all the states. One of such credence was given by the ICPC, having assessed the disbursement of the State’s share of the bailout fund which was distributed to the end users; the civil servants without the interference of the state executives. In another occasion, the governor was singled out as one of the best eight performing governors. One of the parameters used is the governor’s doggedness among other things, fixing the State’s roads.
It will be recalled that upon assumption of office, the governor swung into building roads across all the local governments of the State with concentration on Aba roads, the commercial hub of the State.
On the 30th of November 2016, the governor commissioned one of those roads he started building at Owerrinta . The Egbulu-Mbutu bypass which cuts across four different communities to include, Egbulu-Mbutu, Umuojima, Owerrinta promises to bring further development to the area.
The State chief executive Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu used the occasion to flag off the construction of 170km roads, 10km per local government. These roads will help connect all the local governments for easy transportation. Dr. Ikpeazu urged them to maintain the high standard.
Earlier in his address, Barr. R. N. Nji noted that the governor, while canvassing for votes in the area on the 10th of February 2015 promised to build these roads including the Umuochala road which is undergoing construction at the moment. He expressed happiness that the people of the area have benefited much in this administration as it relates to the appointment of their sons and daughters in the government to include; Mr. Obinna Oriaku, the State commissioner for finance and the head of economic team, Chief Isreal Amanze, the special adviser to the governor on Agricultural development, Mr. P. C. Uzoaka, Mrs. Glory Agonmuo, Chief Ugorji among others.
He expressed that the governor has been fair to all Abians in the distribution of dividends of democracy.
In his reaction, the commissioner for works who has been working tirelessly towards ensuring that infrastructures are fixed in the State reiterated that with the building of this 4.8km road in the area, the area will be the next frontier of development. He maintained that with the presence of Rhema and Clifford Universities in the area, building roads will match the development of the zone.
In a separate interview granted to the men of the fourth estate of the realm, the commissioner for finance Mr. Obinna Oriaku who played host to the governor and his entourage, stated that the road became impassible in the last 25 years but that having understood the electoral promises, as it affects rural roads, “the governor decided to touch especially where it affects our people”.
According to the commissioner, “this underscore what the governor feels for the people of Abia State”. He debunked the rumors making the rounds that the road was built for his convenience. “You can see that the road by no means passes through the lap cation where my house is. This can only show you that this government thinks of the overall good of the people than any individual”.
He maintained that the building of this road is to sustain development as it will attract investments to the area.