During the ceremonies marking the 28 anniversary of Abia State held recently at the International Conference Centre, Ogurube layout, Umuahia, the State Governor, Dr. Okezie Victor Ikpeazu gave many assurances to the good people of Abia State. One of them is his resolve to bequeath quality road constructions to the people. He said “we are more interested in the quality of projects we undertake than the quantity and the speed of completion. We have no interest in speedily completing projects for accolades and applause only for the projects to fail shortly after. Our administration is building to last. Within the bounds of the resources available to us, we will spread them equitably across sectors while ensuring that we get optimal value for every money we spend. I have said it before and I will like to reiterate it that no road built under our administration will collapse in the lifetime of our administration contrary to what was hitherto obtainable”.
By the statement, Governor Ikpeazu is assuring Abia people and residents that his administration would be remembered for the quality of roads constructed by it. This statement is not surprising at all. Governor Ikpeazu on assumption of office in 2015 deployed three Grade A contractors on road constructions. These contractors are Setraco, Arab Contractors and China Zonghao.
According to the Governor, government does not have the money to doing Dubai roads and be returning to the same project every year. Government would rather take time to painstakingly do a project once and for all than rush to finish a project within a year and the same road fails by the next year. The Governor Ikpeazu-led administration is proud to invite the public to take time and check several roads built by the administration at its inception and see that they are still solid as expected. Some of those roads are Oomne, Kamalu, Ehere, Chima Nwafor/MCC, Ukaegbu, Umuola, Ovom, Samek, Tonimas, ENUC, Umuatako, Isingwu-Ossah, Ukaegbu Estate, Low –Cost Housing Estate internal roads and a whole lot of other roads in the State. It is worthy to note that these roads have passed several rainy seasons over the past 4 years without developing portholes.
So far, the administration of Governor Ikpeazu has built more than 70 roads with many others ongoing to be completed soon. He equally introduced the Concrete Pavement Technology in road construction. This ensures solid construction of roads to an advanced durability standard.
Let it be known that Okezie Victor Ikpeazu, Ph.D has laid solid foundation for constructing good quality roads in the State and would sustain it. The wonders of Governor Ikpeazu in Brass- Faulks-Ariaria road, in which the perennial flood problem in Ukwu-Mango was fixed once and for all. Another wonder in road construction is the current work being done at Aba-Owerri Road in Aba. The 25CM thickness of the concrete underlay being piled on the perennially bad portion of the road before its final asphalt overlay is a testimony to the kind of roads Governor Ikpeazu’s administration is desirous of bequeathing to Abia people.
Being committed to delivering quality road on Aba Road, Umuahia – a road that has defied several attempts by successive governments to fix. The Arab Contractors has continued working there and the Phase 1 is being completed and drainage work is also ongoing on the Phase 2 which is being extended to the Port-Harcourt Expressway at Ubakala, in Umuahia South.
Governor Ikpeazu has already assured that the ongoing Osusu road will bear the popular signature of Concrete Pavement Technology. Currently, government is concentrating on building new drains and the desilting of blocked ones to allow for free flow of storm water to the natural collection points. As soon as the rains abate, contractors, who have already been mobilized by Governor Ikpeazu would resume work on most of over 95 ongoing road projects across Abia State. Also appreciable progress has been on the Ururuka Road, Udeagbala Road, Port-Harcourt Road, the Abiriba-Nkporo Road, the Umuokpara Ring Road and the Umuene-Omoba Road.
Abia people and residents are very much aware of the condition of several roads before the present administration came onboard and the impact of Governor Ikpeazu’s effort in changing the narrative, particularly in the infrastructural development of the State. It is therefore imperative for all to sustain their support to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu to enable him take the State to higher heights. With what the Governor has done so far, there is no doubt that he would fulfill his promises to the good people of Abia State. For real, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu in 2023 and beyond would be remembered for good and quality infrastructure he would bequeath to Abia people.
Ubani Newman,
SSA (GOV.) New Media & Publicity.
31/08/2019