A delegation from the Headquarters of the African Development Bank
(AfDB) in Abidjan, led by Mr. Mwila Aeron Katambula, the Bank’s
Transport Specialist, is currently in Abia State for the final lap of
talks between Abia State Government and AfDB on some developmental
projects of interest to the bank in Abia State.
Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, who received the team and another team from
the Federal Ministry of Works Abuja that accompanied the AfDB team on Wednesday
at the Government House Umuahia, said that Abia State can’t wait to see
the commencement of reconstruction of some major roads in Aba,
especially Port Harcourt road and Ikot Ekpene road, among others.
“Road infrastructure is very important to us in Aba. Apart from being
the commercial nerve Centre of Abia, Aba is the SME Centre of Nigeria.
Aba is very important to the economy of both Abia and Nigeria.
“So the issue of road infrastructure, waste management and storm water management are the challenges we face in Aba.
“Abia State does not have the resources to do good work at Port Harcourt
and Ikot Ekpene roads. With your visit today, you’ve renewed our hope
that help will come very soon and the roads will be fixed.
“On our part we have tried to do what is required of us in terms of
ensuring that the ground work is done to enable AfDB come in.” The
Governor said.
they’re in Abia, Katambula said: “We are eager to participate in the
development of Abia State. Our mission today is a follow up to meeting
we had before, we want to ensure that everything is ready because we
want to fast track the projects that the bank will take up in Abia.”
teams later met with the State’s Commissioners for Works, Hon. Eziuche
Ubani, and that of Finance, Hon. Obinna Oriaku, and other top state
government officials.
hours of meetings, the Commissioner for Works, Hon. Ubani led the two
teams to Aba, to have on the spot assessment of the two key Federal
Roads: Port Harcourt and Ikot Ekpene Roads located in the commercial
city.
tour offered them the opportunity of first hand information of the level
of decay of the roads and the trauma and suffering of the residents and
travelers in and around these two key roads.
for why the AfDB team had to come with the FMW team to meet face to face
with Governor Ikpeazu and his team in Abia.
During the visit
to Aba, the Commissioner for Works, Hon Ubani told the AfDB and FMW
team that the state government “is desperate to fix roads in Abia, and
Aba in particular to stimulate economic activities and drive development
across the state”
“So far we’ve done a good number of roads which fall within the
responsibility of the state, but unfortunately, we can’t fix federal
roads without first agreeing on terms of fixing them with the Federal
Government.
“Unfortunately we don’t have the amount of money required to fix these
roads, especially Port Harcourt and Ikot Ekpene roads, that is why we
are delighted to have the AfDB here together with a team from the
Federal ministry of works, to see the level of deterioration of these
roads.”
