Abia State government has immortalised the late former president-general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Joe Irukwu, by renaming the reconstructed Umuahia-Uzuakoli-Akara-Abiriba Road, Joe Irukwu Way.
The new name was unveiled at the inauguration of the 46.36km road which cuts through four local government areas by former President Olusegun Obasanjo at Unity Church of Nigeria, Uzuakoli, last Friday.
At the occasion, Obasanjo recalled how terrible the road had been, especially the last time he visited Abiriba, describing Governor Alex Otti as a miracle worker.
“The road was hellish. When I was told that the road will get me from Umuahia to Abiriba in 35 minutes, I said this man called Alex Otti is a miracle worker,” he said.
Obasanjo lauded Otti for giving the state a facelift, noting that what the governor is doing is a proof that whatever bad situation the country is witnessing today could become good tomorrow.
“I’m a witness to what you are doing and urge you to keep doing what you are doing. If you look hard and wide, you will see that this governor does not lack a good team,” he added.
Governor Otti said the event was an eloquent testimony of his resolve to keep doing things differently, stressing that the completion of the road would, among other things, shorten travel time to motorists.
“The ceremony is an eloquent testimony to our resolve to doing things differently as a government. This administration has zero tolerance for shoddy jobs or the kickback culture that enables them.
“By completing this project, we have not just shortened travel time for drivers and commuters coming into Umuahia but also to communities within Ohafia, Bende, isuikwuato and Umuahia North,” Otti stated.
He added that the road would unleash the economic potential of the area by making farming attractive to young people, support job creation and deal a big blow to the menace of poverty in many communities.
In their comments, Senators Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South), Chris Adighije (Abia Central 2007 – 2011), and Rep Obi Aguocha (Ikwuano/Umuahia federal constituency), thanked the governor for fixing the road.
Earlier, the commissioner for Works, Otumchere Oti said the road is one of Otti’s unwavering drive to provide access to rural areas and connecting them to urban communities and advised the benefiting communities to own them.
