Governor of Abia State Alex Otti has flagged off the reconstruction of the dilapidated 6.8 kilometres Port Harcourt Road, Aba, 15 years after it was abandoned by successive administrations in the state.
The immediate past administration of Okezie Ikpeazu compounded the situation after it demolished hundreds of structures it termed as illegal on both sides of the road in its failed bid to rehabilitate the road.
The road, which is one of the major gateways to the Enugu-Port Harcourt expressway from the commercial centre of the state, is one of the legacies of the late former governor of old Imo State, Sam Mbakwe.
At the event, Otti said the project is not a mere political gesture for short-term benefits, but a holistic effort to restore the road’s durability and economic significance.
“I am glad that we are taking yet another strategic step in fulfilling one of my major campaign promises which is to permanently break the jinx of this road,” he noted.
He said he was partly fulfilled that his administration had reached another milestone in what had been a very long process which started after his victory on March 22, 2023.
The governor, who promised to complete the payment to the construction firm handling the project on schedule to avoid any setbacks, added that the project has a delivery timeline of 18 months.
Expressing gratitude to residents of Aba for their patience and commitment to genuine change, the governor urged them to cooperate fully with the firm to deliver on schedule.
In his remarks, the group managing director of the firm, Lars Richter, promised to execute the project according to specification, describing it as another milestone for the four months old administration.
He commended Otti for his commitment to infrastructure revolution in the state and thanked him for choosing the firm to be part of his rebuilding agenda.
