By Naomi Sharang
The Senate has urged the Ministry of Works and Housing to urgently intervene and include the repair of Umuahia-Umudike-Ikot-Ekpene, Aba-Ossisioma to Port-Harcourt Roads in the planned nationwide repairs.
It also mandated the Senate Committee on Works (when constituted) to investigate the award of the contracts for the reconstruction/rehabilitation of the roads.
This is to ascertain the level of funds released, utilisation, level of work completed and factors contributing to the unaccounted delays in the execution of the projects and report to it within four weeks for further legislative action.
The resolutions were sequel to a motion moved by Sen. Darlington Nwokocha (LP-Abia) at Tuesday’s plenary.
The motion was tagged “Urgent Need to Investigate the Delay in the Completion of Umuahia-Umudike-Ikot-Ekpene, Aba-Ossisioma to Port-Harcourt Roads”.
According to Nwokocha, the roads are critical national assets and Federal Government Category A Interstate roads, traversing and connecting the South-East, South-South, South-West and Northern geopolitical zones of the country.
He said the state of the roads had remained deplorable due to unaccountable delays in the completion of the projects.
“They are central to the economic and social nerves of the cities of Aba, Umuahia, Uyo, Ikot-Ekpene, and Port-Harcourt.
“The roads also serve as the arteries of the Nigeria National Petroleum Cooperation Limited (NNPC-Limited) operations, providing the company an alternative channel for the distribution of Petroleum Products, and important agricultural produce nationwide,” he said.
Nwokocha further said that in spite of expending in excess of N15 billion since inception on these critical roads, the Umuahia-Ikot Ekepene Road had only attained six per cent completion as of April 2023.
“While the Aba-Ikot Ekpene and Aba-Port-Harcourt roads continued in its deplorable states, it has led to the economic stagnation of the former boisterous commercial city of Aba with more than 1000 businesses closing down,” he explained.
He said the roads if not expeditiously addressed, would worsen the devastating economic woes, threats to lives and property posed by the failed sections. (NAN)
