Abia Governor, Dr Alex Otti, on Wednesday, formally flagged off the 3.5 kilometer 6-lane Okpara Square-Ossah-Express Tower road with an assurance of extending the project to the Onuimo border with Imo.
Speaking while performing the exercise Governor Otti promised that the road project will be executed with standard drainage system, street lights and others, noting that the decision to expand the road to 6-lane was to unlock the economic potentials of Umuahia, the state capital, as well as open up the city to greater economic opportunities.
Otti announced that the administration has commenced payment of compensation to owners of the 130 structures marked for demolition as all the money required to pay compensation has been provided and asked those yet to receive theirs to exercise patience as the delay could be from their financial institutions.
The Governor who said government feels the pains of the people added that he decided to delay the flag-off until now to allow for compensation to be released to owners of affected structures while assuring that a quality 6-lane road project would be delivered, and expressed his hope that the Construction Company, Craneburg, being a reputable construction firm, will deliver a quality road network with standard drainage system and solar powered street lights.
He announced that a similar project would be done on the Imo River-Umuikaa-Obikabia-Umuene-Ukaegbu road to Aba and down to Ikot Ekpene road as an alternative road into Akwa Ibom State to decongest Aba the commercial nerve centre of the State.
In his speech, the state Commissioner for Works Engr. Dom Otumchere Oti revealed that the six-lane road will come with drainage, sidewalk, stone base and will stand the taste of time, stating further that the road will unlock the economic potential of Umuahia and thanked residents of the area for their cooperation.
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