Imo State government on Thursday lamented over failure by the Federal Government under the outgoing President Muhammadu Buhari to refund the huge amount of money spent on reconstruction and rehabilitation of federal roads by the state government.
The All Progressive Congress (APC) Deputy Governorship candidate in Imo State and the Commissioner for Works, Barr Ralph Nwosu told newsmen in Owerri that the Imo Government has completed and commissioned two federal roads in the state namely the Owerri/Okigwe roads and the Owerri/Orlu roads while the Owerri/Mbaise/Umuahia road is ongoing adding that no money has being yet refunded to the state.
He disclosed unfolded plans by the state government to kick start a second phase of 100klm road revolution across the 27 council areas of the state.
According to him, each of the councils would benefit 5km from the roads revolution while effort would be intensified to tackle ecological disasters in flood-prone areas adjacent the roads to save houses from being submerged whenever it rains.
The Commissioner said that the state government had already completed a total of 64 roads measuring 153.64klm.
He said that while 43 roads projects measuring 357.40klm are ongoing, the Iheagwa/Nekede road would soon be completed with it’s bridges.
Nwosu declared that the defunct Imo Rural Roads Maintenance Agency (IROMA) would soon be brought back to add impetus to governments rural roads revolution to also stem the tide of flooding arising g from down pours in some villages and communities.
The Deputy Governorship candidate decried the performance of both the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency FEMA and the Federal Ministry of Works in the State said that it was as a result of this that the state government took the bull by the horns to handle the construction, reconstruction and rehabilitation of some Federal roads in the state to alleviate the transportation difficulties of the people.
He said: “Honestly, FEMA and the Federal Ministry of Works have not being fair to us in this state otherwise we will not be at a place like Mgbidi where I come from working on Federal roads?”
He justified reasons for government decision to dredge the Orashi River into a sea port, saying that it would not only create jobs for the youths, but also check insecurity with the presence of a Naval Base there and link the state to the international Community, adding that it would be by Private Partnership.
He said that while many companies have indicated interest to partner with the state government, in the execution of the projects, a number of individuals have also shown interest for the same reason.
He acknowledged the growing traffic congestion within the Owerri capital city, the blocking of gutters and drainages with refuse by some misguided elements and assured that flyovers would be constructed at strategic places in Owerri.
He said:”we still have much to achieve and we are now on a higher qualitative stage on roads construction and rehabilitation. We are doing this through efficient and judicious management of available resources”, even as he declined how much the state government has invested in roads construction which he said is a public knowledge.
Barr. Ralph Nwosu- Deputy Governorship candidate of APC, Imo State and Commissioner for Works, Imo State while addressing journalists in his office
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