Otti Moves to Open Abia North for Economic Growth, Flags-off 67.6km Umuahia-Uzuakoli- Ohafia Road Project

Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia

Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has commenced the reconstruction of the long-neglected but strategic Umuahia-Uzuakoli- Akara-Ohafia Road, signalling his intention to stimulate the economy of the northern part of Abia.
Much of economic activities are concentrated in Aba, the commercial hub and to a lesser degree in Umuahia the capital city. But Otti has seen the need to bring Abia North into the economic growth mix by rebuilding the 67.6km road linking the central and northern zones of the state.
The strategic road running from the capital city to Abia North senatorial zone traverses four local governments – Umuahia North, Bende, Isuikwuato and Ohafia – and has never been reconstructed since the end of the second republic.
Otti said that time has come to recover the lost grounds in infrastructure development after decades of neglect by past governments.
At the three places – Umuahia, Akara and Abiriba – where flag-off ceremonies were performed, crowds of people gathered to express their happiness over the new turn of events.
The Abia governor explained that he split the stretch of road into three sections and handed each portion to a different construction firm so that by working simultaneously the project would be completed on schedule.
From Umuahia end to Uzuakoli, which is about 22.6km would be done by Craneburg with Ferotex Construction Company working on 22.5km Isuikwuato to Abiriba section while China Civil Engineering Construction Company(CCECC) got the 22.5km Abiriba to Ohafia portion.
Otti reiterated that “we are committed to our promise to fix Abia economy” in order to wipe away our tears of several decades shed due to dilapidated physical infrastructure.
He made it clear to the contractors that he would like the road project to be ready in 12 months as against the contract duration of 18 months, adding that the road would be dualised.
Alluding to the economic importance of reconstructing the road which leads to the food belt of the state, Otti stated that he was desirous of giving Abians motorable roads across the state.
This, he said, would make it easy to evacuate farm produce from the hinterlands to the urban areas thereby boosting the rural economy.
The governor acknowledged that the rising inflation rate has made it “more difficult to achieve anything” in terms of infrastructural projects.

“But we are going to do our best,” he assured Abians, adding that “this is just the beginning” as his administration was committed to holistic transformation of the state.

“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 produce and come to the townships to sell them”.

Otti further stated that he was rebuilding Abia because “we want all our leaders to feel free” to return home with their money and stimulate their village economies.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Works, Otumchere Oti, said that the 67.6km road would become dualised with 1.5 meter shoulders on both sides.