Babatunde Fashola Inspects Aba-Ikot Ekpene Road
Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola chatting with Abia State Commissioner for Works ,Barr. Bob Ogu during the inspection of roads in Aba. |
The Honourable Minister for Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) has visited the Aba Ikot-Ekpene road which has been awarded to a Chinese construction company CGGC for rehabilitation and dualization.
The minister who inspected the road in company of the Abia Commissioner for works Barr. Bob Chiedozie Ogu, expressed concern over the deplorable condition of the road, he charged the contractor to do a palliative work on or before the end of March on all the bad sections of the road to ameliorate the sufferings of the motorist and people living around the area before the rain starts while the construction is on going.
Raji Fashola (SAN) stated that the construction of Aba Ikot-Ekpene road was first awarded to a contractor who unfortunately wasn’t meeting up to expectations and because of the deplorable condition of the road, President Buhari approved the termination of the contract and was awarded to a bigger construction company CGGC which will deliver a quality job.
He used the opportunity to advise the contractor not to continue to wait for the arrival of their equipment from China which has been delayed because of the outbreak of corona virus but urged them to start hiring local equipment and personnel locally to do the job.
The state commissioner for works Barr Bob Chiedozie Ogu who was on ground to receive the minister, while addressing the team from federal ministry of works and housing, stated the economic importance of Aba Ikot-Ekpene road which is a major road leading to our neighboring states of Akwa-Ibom and Cross River.
Barr. Bob Chiedozie Ogu enumerated the sufferings and economic hardship the people have been subjected because of the dilapidated state of Aba Ikot-Ekpene road which has been impassable over the years.
According to the commissioner, if the road is fixed, it will reinvigorate the business activities of Abia and her neighboring states.
He urged the contractor to expedite actions to complete the project.
The minister was accompanied by top government functionaries from Abuja, as well as the Acting Controller, FERMA, Abia State amongst others.