Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has named the state’s first 6-line road, Aguiyi-Ironsi Boulevard, after Nigeria’s first military head of state, the late Major General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi.
Otti announced this yesterday in Umuahia, the state capital, during the inauguration of the former 4-lane Abia Tower-Ossah Road, which the present administration has reconstructed.
The 3.5-kilometre road, which terminates at Okpara Square in the capital, was inaugurated by Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe (rtd), a former chief of staff during the reign of former military president General Ibrahim Babangida.
In his address titled: “The Future,” Otti said the administration embarked on the project to enhance the capital’s aesthetic, security, free flow of traffic, and economy.
He commended communities along the road for cooperating with and supporting both the government and the contracting firm to ensure the timely completion of the project.
“Before the groundbreaking ceremony was performed, we made sure that the over 175 owners of structures that were affected were paid their compensations 100 percent,” he said.
In his remarks, the general manager of the construction firm, Eli Adam, said Otti had stressed that the project was very dear to the administration and the people of the state.
“We put in our best to ensure that we justified the confidence reposed in us by adhering strictly to the terms of the agreement to complete the project within record time,” he added.
Earlier, in his address, the commissioner for works, Otumchere Oti said the decision to embark on the project was tough because over 400 structures were marked for removal.
Expressing gratitude to the governor for making the decision and the firm for the quality of the job, he announced that the road has solar-powered lights and road maps.
Other highlights of the occasion were the inauguration of Okpara Square Water Fountain and the flag-off of the construction of the Umuahia Public Transport Terminal.
