Tinubu’s intervention on Umuahia–Ikot Ekpene Road rekindles S-East hope — Onuigbo

By Luminous Jannamike

ABUJA – The subordinate representing the South East successful the Governing Board of the North East Development Commission (NEDC), Rep. Sam Onuigbo, has said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive to transportation the completion of the Umuahia–Ikwuano–Ikot Ekpene Federal Highway to the Abia State Government has revived optimism for the project’s aboriginal completion.

Speaking astatine a property league successful his bureau yesterday, Onuigbo said the President’s involution reflected responsiveness to nationalist concerns and a applicable measurement towards addressing long-standing infrastructure challenges successful the South East.

“The directive to manus implicit the task to the Abia State Government is simply a omniscient and considerate measurement that shows attraction to determination concerns,” helium said.

Following the directive and a advancement study from the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, the Federal Government handed implicit the remaining 25 kilometres of the 49.5-kilometre roadworthy to Abia State for completion.

Onuigbo, who represented Ikwuano/Umuahia North/South Federal Constituency successful the 8th and 9th National Assembly, described the roadworthy arsenic a cardinal economical corridor linking Abia, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, and adjacent Cameroun, adding that its completion would boost determination commercialized and mobility.

He recalled that efforts to hole the road began with a question helium moved successful the House of Representatives connected 26 May 2016, highlighting failed sections betwixt Ndoro and Okweukwu communities successful Ikwuano Local Government Area.

“This travel to the rehabilitation of the road dates backmost to my question connected the level of the House successful 2016 and consequent engagements with the past Minister of Works, Babatunde Fashola,” helium said.

Onuigbo noted that earlier national interventions had reconstructed astir 24.5 kilometres of the road, covering sections from the Federal Medical Centre successful Umuahia to the National Root Crops Research Institute, with drainage and erosion-control works completed astatine cardinal points.

He said further efforts led to the grant of the task successful 2019 to Hartland Nigeria Limited and Raycon & Company Nigeria Limited, portion aboriginal backing constraints prompted its inclusion nether the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) Tax Credit Scheme.

Onuigbo commended the practice betwixt the Federal and Abia State Governments, saying specified concern would assistance guarantee timely completion of the project. He urged residents on the corridor to proceed supporting the contractors and maintaining a peaceful situation for enactment to advancement smoothly.

The station Tinubu’s involution connected Umuahia–Ikot Ekpene Road rekindles S-East anticipation — Onuigbo appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.