◾Wants Contractors to fix impassible Umanwanwa Ubakala section before rainy season
The Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has started the process of ensuring that the contractors handling the 16.3KM Aba – Owerri Road – NNPC Depot and 20.7KM Achingali-Obizi Umunwanwa Road, return to site to complete the federal road projects and bring to an end the difficulties being encountered by our people while using those collapsed roads.
On Tuesday, 27th January, Governor Otti met with the management of the construction companies handling the road projects, ROUDO NIG LTD and BOLIV NIG LTD, led by the Group’s Chairman, Chief Tony Chukwu, to find out why work had stalled on the road project for a long time.
At the instance of the meeting convened by Governor Otti, the companies presented their challenges through the Group Managing Director (GMD) C.N.C. Nwachukwu which bordered mainly on lack of funding, the Governor who said that he had suspected that the main issue would not be far from funding but wasn’t too sure, and promised to engage with the Federal Ministry of works alongside the contractors to resolve the issues.
The two roads were first awarded by the Federal Government in 2019 and then redesigned, re-scooped and re-awarded in 2024. Both roads connect Abia and Imo States through Isiala Ngwa South and Umuahia South LGAs.
Governor Otti who acknowledged some challenges federal projects faced in 2025 because of budget issues which he believes have been resolved said, “So, we will together go to the Federal Government, get these things untied. With all the processes that you have gone through… it is money that you are spending, it won’t make sense to cancel it. We will work collectively to see that we can resolve it,” Governor Otti assured.
While the process of engaging with the Federal Government to get the contractors back to the sites is on, the Governor wants work to commence immediately on the impassable Umanwanwa Ubakala section of the road that had remained a nightmare to pedestrians and commuters especially during the rainy season.
“Is there an immediate thing that can happen in the Umunwanwa – Ubalaka section?” Dr. Otti asked, saying “Because this is a fantastic time to do that before the rains will come again.”
Mr. C.N.C. Nwachukwu answered in the affirmative, saying since funding is the issue, given the needed support, they can get that resolved within a month or a month and half – with full earth works, drainages and asphalt.
Speaking further, Governor Otti said, “We can work out something while you deal with the details. I think we have to contact the Honourable Minister (of Works). I think there should be a clear line in sight where the repayment will come from. Once we resolve that, then we’ll work out a way to support you, because, it’s important, so that our people don’t go through the difficulties during the rainy season.
“So, you work out the details, come back to me so that we can look at all the options,” Governor Otti instructed.
The number one citizen of the State made it clear that while he wants the work to start from the Umunwanwa areas of the State, his intervention is to get the entire job completed, while noting that the most important thing is to save the job.
“For us, the most important thing is to save the Job. When I’m going to be intervening, I’m going to be intervening in a direction that will get them to complete the entire job. But, we are saying, in the interim, can we start here?
“The important thing is to save the job and get funding for it. And, since the 2025 budget is still open, so, we can get some money. It depends on the kind of negotiations that happen. I have done it before,” Governor Otti added.
The recent move by Governor Otti to get the contractors back on site to complete the road projects is a practical demonstration of his policy of non-discrimination between Federal and State projects, anchored on the fact that Abians are the Primary beneficiaries of the Infrastructures, hence, every collapsed infrastructure, both Federal or State must be fixed for the good of the people.
This non-discriminatory policy is the reason the administration of Governor Alex Chioma Otti with the approval of the Federal Government, has reconstructed and delivered the strategic Port Harcourt Road in Aba, and the dreaded Omenuko bridge which are all Federal projects. Abia State Government is currently working on the following Federal Roads in the State: Umuahia-Ikot-Ekpene Road, Owerrinta – Umuikaa dualization, Onuimo -Tower, about 5.7KM dualization, Ohafia – Arochukwu Road and so on.
In his vote of thanks, the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Pastor Caleb Ajagba, Ph.D, thanked Governor Otti for always rising up to address the plights of his people, providing bailouts whenever the welfare of Abians and residents are at stake. He urged the contractors to ensure that they live up to expectations and not disappoint the Government.
