Ikpeazu’s Scorecard of 65 roads

The question has come repeatedly: Why is Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State concentrating effort on road construction? Why is he moving from one road to another as if his life and tenure are tied only on roads? Since he assumed office, the issue of road construction or rehabilitation of infrastructure has taken a larger share of his attention and energy. So far, he has constructed 65 active roads simultaneously, all cutting across the three geo–political zones of the state.

Twenty-seven of these roads have been dully completed. The answer is simple: uncommon situations demand uncommon action. The condition of the roads needed an urgent attention. Particularly, the condition of life in Aba demanded a radical response. And this is the reason the governor landed on Aba a day after his inauguration and flagged off the construction of seven roads.

Again, this sector of public life is critical to the overall socio-economic activities in the state. Thus, Governor IKpeazu has identified road infrastructure as a strategic roadmap towards recovering the drowning economy. Aba is the commercial hub of the state and centre of the economy. It is also a melting pot and this is why the governor has set out to address the challenges of the roads in the ancient city.

What is more, Aba represents the resilience and enterprising spirit of the Igbo nation and serves as a point of convergence of men and cultures. Aba has also provided the highest market for the South – East and South – South geo – political zones in the history of commerce in Nigeria.

The Ikpeazu road revolution has, indeed, turned the state into a huge construction site where caterpillars, bulldozers and other earth moving equipment are at work round the clock. The governor is using cement technology or what experts call ‘rigid pavement technology’.

This is a high cost intensive project with streetlight and good drainage network. And the governor is moving ahead even at this stage of dwindling oil fortune and a drop in the state’s monthly federal allocation.

According to him, his administration is engaging in this kind of high quality road network to ensure a lasting legacy so that in the next 20 years the roads will still be active and functional. This shows his love for quality and standard and also goes to demonstrate his passion for the city of Aba.

Some of these roads are: Ukaegbu Road, Umuocham road, Mcc/Umuojima road, Udeagbala road, Ehere road, Faulks by Samek, Umuola road, Kamalu, Ommne Drive, Echefu, Enuc, Owerri road, Mosque, Old Express, Ntiga – Mbawsi  to Ururuka (phase 2), Ururuka Expansion, Jubilee by Eziukwu, Ehi road by Eziukwu, Ube road, Hospital road to east street, Azikiwe from Asa to East, Adazi by park to Ehi Road, etc all in Aba.

Those in Unuahia include Agbama housing estate ring road, BAWAS street former Kaduna street, Abam street, Niger road, Awolowo road, Umuwaya road, IBB phase 2 road and ICC road, JAAC road, Ring road,the three are at Ogurube layout. And the roads in Abia North include: Abiribe ring road, Bende Idima to Abam road, Eke Eziama Obuzo Ngodo road, Imo Ndimkpa Bridge,Nneato in  Umunneochi local government area, Okunaku Bridge in Ohafia, etc. Majority of these roads are completed and commissioned.

Governor Okezie Ikpeazu already knows that roads transportation is basic to the economic development of the state. That is why in restoring the dwindling economy of the state, he needed to upgrade infrastructure and bring sanity and order to the two cities of Aba and Umuahia. A good network of roads and security of life and property are the necessary conditions for all socio-economic activities of man.

This is even more crucial to the city of Aba, which is the capital of Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprise in Nigeria.  Governor Ikpeazu is paying attention to trade and commerce and has embarked on a programme of action for the review of the status of markets in the state. The success of these endeavours is spirally tied to the state of infrastructure with roads as a key component.

Today, Abians are happy that the governor’s initiatives in road construction are rapidly impacting on the economy. At a time of great need for the diversification of the economy, Governor Ikpeazu is adopting new approaches towards growing the informal sector in Abia. This is the reason there has been a lot of emphasis on the homegrown goods, which we call Aba-Made-Goods.

They are particularly happy that the governor tries to be on top of his projects by   personally supervising them to ensure that quality is not compromised. There is a massive improvement on business, and business operators have heaved a sigh of relief.

Chukwuma Okeke, who deals on motor parts, affirmed that the income he generates now is twice what he used to make before and he attributed this to improved road facility in Aba.  “You don’t need a prophet to tell you that the effect of good roads in Abia has boosted the economy of the state,” he said.   The governor has demonstrated his good intentions for Abians by first confronting the road challenges in the state.

The entire idea is to improve on quality of life and provide the necessary basics for a conducive environment. He is also driving a new income generation policy as an alternative survival strategy in the face of global oil slide. He is encouraging Abians to reciprocate his gesture by fulfilling their civic obligation in the area of tax payment.

Kingsley Maduforo is a special assistant to Governor Ikpeazu on media