JamzNG Latest News, Gist, Entertainment in Nigeria
The people of Ikwuano and Umuahia Federal Constituency of Abia State have expressed sincere appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for the steady progress of works on the Umuahia-Ikwuano and Ikot-Ekpene highway.
This came even as an official of the Federal Ministry of Works, Chidi Uwaeziozi, clarified the status of the Federal “A” road, saying the project is still being executed by the Federal Government contrary to claims of the Abia State Government having taken over.
It would be recalled that the administration of Governor Alex Otti recently listed the Umuahia–Ikwuano–Ikot Ekpene Federal Road among the projects recently initiated by the state government, despite abundant evidence that the Federal Government had supported its construction.
But the office of the Controller of Works of the Federal Ministry of Works in Abia State, Chidi Uwaeziozi, has clarified the status of the project, explaining that last year the federal government restructured the contract into two phases to speed up its completion.
He explained that Phase One, which remains under the federal government, is still operated by Hartland Construction Company and is currently nearing completion, arguing that the original contractor remains on site because Phase One, operated by the federal government, has approximately 1.5 kilometers left to complete.
While insisting that the contractor is legally bound to complete the remaining section before leaving the site, the construction manager disputed claims by the Abia State Government of having included the Umuahia–Ikwuano–Ikot Ekpene Federal Road among the projects recently initiated by the administration of Governor Alex Otti.
He noted that documents show that the restoration of the critical interstate road linking Umuahia in Abia State to Ikot Ekpene in Akwa Ibom State, prior to the current administration, was facilitated through federal legislative intervention as early as 2016.
“The project was originally realized through the efforts of former MP Sam Onuigbo, who represented Ikwuano/Umuahia Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives. His intervention reportedly led to the commencement of rehabilitation works on the long-neglected Federal Highway,” he said.
While it was established that Hartland Construction Company Limited operated the project under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Works, about 25 kilometers of the road had already been rehabilitated before the Abia State Government announced the alleged takeover.
Shortly after the Otti administration “halted” work on the road as part of projects initiated by the state government, former MP Onuigbo expressed dissatisfaction with the announcement.
He argued that presenting the road as a new initiative undermines years of support and legislative work that brought federal attention and funding to the project.
Onuigbo, who commended President Tinubu for his administration’s determination to expedite work on the crucial artery, said it is harmful for any person or group to politicize development projects, stressing that the project represents a major contribution of the Tinubu administration.
