From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
Abia State Governor Dr Alex Otti has flagged off the reconstruction of the 67 kilometre Umuahia-Uzuakoli-Akara-Ohafia road.
The road reconstruction was awarded to three contracting firms, Craneburg, Ferotex and CCECC.
Speaking during the flag off, Governor Otti said his government was in a hurry to deliver as it wants to recover lost ground, hence awarding the contract to three very competent firms.
The Governor who stressed the need for the project to be completed as quickly as possible, added that it must be delivered to specification within record time.
Otti said it was his desire that Abia people should move on motorable roads, and to be able to easily evacuate their farm produce.
“We want our people to move on roads that are motorable. 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.
He called on well to do Abians who reside outside the State to begin to visit their communities more frequently as a way of stimulating the local economy, stressing that all his administration was doing was to maintain the state’s position as the first.
“How can you be first when your roads from every nooks and crannies are in serious dilapidation? How can you be first if your hospitals are now where people go to and don’t come out alive? How can you be first if your schools are in serious state of disrepair? How can you be first if your people can not sleep with their two eyes closed? How can you be first if the environment is littered with gabbage?”
The Governor thanked Abians for their support and urged them to always discharge their civic obligations to enable government do more for them.
The Commissioner for works, Otumchere Oti, disclosed that the project was divided into three sections with section one running from Umuahia to Uzuakoli which will be expanded into a dual carriage lane.
“The contract includes repair of failed sections, construction of culverts and drainages as well as provision of street lights.”
The second section according to Commissioner will run from Uzuakoli to Akara and the third section, from Akara to Ohafia.
He thanked the Governor for being alive to responsibilities of ensuring that all nooks and crannies of the state receive government’s attention, particularly, in the area of road infrastructure.