Otti’s road infrastructural drive: Making Abia communities accessible again
By Steve Oko
Good access road has always been a major enabler and critical pilar of development of any society.
Aware of this, Gov. Alex Otti, has vigorously pursued road infrastructural development since May 2023 when he took over the reigns of power in Abia State.
Many roads in the state which had hitherto, remained in deplorable conditions due to gross neglect by the previous administrations, are now receiving deserved attention.
Otti’s approach to road development is massive as a number of key roads across the state have either received attention or are currently receiving attention.
No senatorial district of the state is left out in this move as strategic roads in all three zones have been carefully selected for rehabilitation.
The Governor began his road transformation agenda in Aba with the award of contract for the total rehabilitation of key roads including Port Harcourt Road, Ngwa Road, Milverton Avenue, Udeagbara Road, among many of which were in terrible state.
While some of the initial road projects awarded by the Governor in Aba have long been delivered, work is undoubtedly in progress in many others.
Among the road projects by Otti’s administration in Aba that have further endeared him to many residents across party divide is the Port Harcourt Road that had completely collapsed at various points.
His resolve to fix the federal road which serves as a major entry and exit point from Port Harcourt to Enyimba commercial city, is widely applauded as one of the landmark achievements of his 16-month-old administration.
As efforts were on to rebuild road infrastructure in Aba, the economic honey pot of Abia, Umuahia the state capital was not abandoned.
Till today, many are still perplexed how in less than one year, Osasah Road (now Aguiyi Ironsi Boulevard), which serves as the major entry point to the state capital, has been transformed into a 6-lane highway (the first of its kind in the state).
Many who doubted Otti’s promised to remodel and expand the road, have now reposed more confidence in him as the quality and the speed with which the project was executed stand as a testimonial that Abia is indeed in for a new season.
As the expansion of the 6-lane road is continuing from the Abia Express Tower junction to Onuimo Bridge axis, Otti has commended similar expansion project on the Owerrinta road to Imo Bridge corridor.
The Governor had explained that his intention is to give all entry roads to the state a befitting look, and that, he has truly started.
Abia North was not abandoned in this trajectory as the rehabilitation of some very important roads in the zone have equally commenced.
Chief among the ongoing road rehabilitation works in Abia North include the Umuahia-Uzuakoli-Akara- Abiriba-Ohafia Road.
The nearly 60-killometer road was segmented and awarded to three different contracts to ensure early completion, and work is going on simultaneously in each of the segments.
Similarly, the Governor has awarded contract for the renovation of long abandoned and impassable Arochukwu-Ndi Okereke-Ozuabam Road which is the shortest route to Arochukwu ancient kingdom.
As if that were not enough, Otti in his quest to break the jinx of ending the age-long adage of “no easy route to Aro”, recently, flagged off the reconstruction of the 41.4 kilometer Ohafia-Arochukwu federal road.
The idea is to make it easy for those accessing Arochukwu through the Abiriba, Edda/Affikpo, Ohafia flank.
The ancient regional road first constructed in the 60s by the late Premier of the defunct Eastern Nigeria, Dr Michael Okpara, was later abandoned by successive administrations until it deteriorated to its current virtually- impassable state.
Flagging off the project amidst ovation by locals from over 60 communities around the area, Otti said his administration was poised to make every part of Abia accessible.
He noted that although the road is a federal road, he decided to intervene to mitigate the plights of the road users who have suffered immeasurably plying the route.
The Governor regretted that the hope of renovating the road in the 90s was dashed after the death of the late Military Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha.
“There was great jubilation and hope of a turnaround in the mid-1990s when the Petroleum (Special) Trust Fund, an intervention agency set up by the General Sani Abacha military junta, awarded a contract for the reconstruction of the 71.8 kilometre Umuahia-Arochukwu Road.
“The project started smoothly from the Umuahia section but stopped abruptly following the demise of the then military Head of State and the eventual scrapping of the PTF. The expectation of our people was cut short and the misery lingered, almost interminably.
“Being a federal road, previous administrations in the State considered that it was better to let the Federal Government fix it. With many considered haphazard attempts made by Abuja to undertake the reconstruction around 2012, funds were reportedly approved but for some mysterious reasons, nothing significant happened and the people continued to live with the daily despair of passing through what several respected newspaper columnists described as the “worst federal road in Nigeria.
“What we have come to do today is to take our destiny in our hands, convinced that the Federal Government, whose approval we have fully obtained to execute this project, will eventually do what is right and fair in the long-term economic interest of the good people of Abia State.
“We have sincerely taken this bold initiative in order to save the Federal Government the embarrassment this road has brought it before international visitors and tourists.
“Our intent is to give Nigerians who are resident in this part of the country or travelling through this road for business and social engagements, a sense of belonging because no nation should watch its citizens pass through the nightmare our people have endured for years.”
Gov. Otti who promised to complete all road projects awarded by his administration, charged the contractor to deliver on record time.
The enthusiastic crowd of jubilant residents who have always thronged out at the flag off or inauguration ceremonies of the road projects, speak volume of how dear, road infrastructure is to the people.
Beyond providing good access to the affected communities, Otti’s road revolution drive will also effectively restore Abia’s agricultural corridor to serve multiple layers of needs including job creation, poverty alleviation and long-term food security.
Should Gov. Otti continue in this direction, as he is believed to, Abia before the end of his first tenure, will definitely overtake some of the states in the country.
About The Author
More Stories
CCMAS : Teaching of Nigerian history as general studies course in Nigerian varsities
PROACTIVE & REACTIVE LEADERSHIP: THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GOVERNOR OTTI AND EX-GOVERNOR IKPEAZU
Defraying salary arrears: Why Otti was “desperate” to govern Abia