- Governor Alex Otti re-awarded the Umuahia–Ikot Ekpene Road project to ensure completion of the abandoned 25-kilometre stretch.
- The initial contractor reportedly finished only 14 kilometres before the project stalled due to poor funding.
- President Tinubu’s approval paved the way for the new contract, which is part of efforts to boost infrastructure in Abia State.
- Otti thanked the Federal Government and criticised local politicians who tried to obstruct the state’s intervention.
Six years after the Federal Government first awarded the multi-billion-naira contract for the 49-kilometre Umuahia–Ikot Ekpene Road, Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has taken bold action to complete the long-abandoned project.
Speaking during the flag-off ceremony at Timber Market, Umuahia, Governor Otti announced that his administration had re-awarded the contract to reconstruct the remaining 25 kilometres of the federal road. He said the decision was made after President Bola Tinubu gave official approval, describing the road as vital to both trade and transportation between Abia and Akwa Ibom states.
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The initial contractor, Otti explained, had completed only 14 kilometres before work was suspended due to financial constraints. In 2021, the Federal Government handed the funding responsibility to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) under the Road Infrastructure Tax Credit Scheme, but progress remained stagnant.
Expressing frustration over the neglect, Governor Otti said it was unacceptable for such an important route to remain in disrepair for years. He noted that the state could not wait any longer, as the road’s poor condition continued to hurt economic activities and the daily lives of commuters.
“I appreciate President Tinubu for graciously allowing Abia to handle the completion of this federal road,” Otti said. “When the welfare of our people is at stake, there should be no separation between federal and state responsibilities.”
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The governor also used the occasion to call out certain political figures in Abia who, according to him, had tried to block the state’s plan to fix federal roads. He thanked the Federal Government for “refusing to be misled by such distractions” and reaffirmed his administration’s resolve to deliver lasting infrastructure across Abia.
Otti further assured residents that the reconstruction work would be carried out to the highest standard and completed within the stipulated timeframe. He said the project represents his government’s broader goal of restoring public confidence through visible and impactful development.
