The residents of Ikwuano Local Government Area of Abia State, on Thursday, staged a protest demanding the completion of the long-delayed reconstruction of the Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene Road in their area.
The Umuahia – Ikot Ekpene Road is a gateway route connecting Abia, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River States.
IVNTVNEWS gathered that the project, awarded to Heartland Construction Company, HCC, over five years ago, has remains uncompleted.
The protesters, therefore, used the protest to highlight the danger the uncompleted road. They noted that road posed a severe hardships to road users in the area. The protesters, therefore, called for its completion.
A resident of the community, Ambrose Jonah, who addressed journalists during the protest, condemning the slow progress of the road construction. He, therefore, urged the Federal Ministry of Works to accelerate the completion of the road project. Jonah urged the Government to ensure sufficient funds are made available to the contractor handling the project.
He said, “This road was supposed to be completed in three years. But five years have passed, and only about 20 per cent of the work has been done.
“Our appeal to the Federal Government is straightforward. This is a crucial Trunk A Road leading to Akwa Ibom and Cross River States. It serves two public universities; a private university, and a research institute. The current condition of the road is unacceptable. And immediate action is needed before the next rainy season.”
Another protester, Rapture Ndubuisi-Ejim, from Ogbuebule Oboro, described the road as a “death trap”. He, therefore, cautioned that further delays could make the road impassable in the coming year.
“If no significant progress is made this dry season, the road could split in two. Thus, leaving us with no option but to fly to our villages. The deplorable state of the road is crippling our economy. Transport costs are skyrocketing. Vehicles break down frequently, and travelling during the rainy season is a nightmare,” he said.
The protester accused the Federal Government of abandoning the road. He, however, called on the Ministry of Works to prioritize the project.
“We are not asking for much. We just want this road fixed before the rains return,” Ndubuisi-Ejim added.
Reacting to the protest, the HCC project manager, Egnr Velya, attributed the delay to funding constraints from the Federal Ministry of Works.
He said, “We can only work within the limits of the budgetary approvals from our clients. The rising costs of raw materials have necessitated a contract review. Technically, it is possible to complete the work in one dry season, but this depends on the financial allocations from the ministry.” Velya explained.
Velya, however, assured the protesters that palliative repairs would be carried out within a week. This, he said, is to make the road passable during the festive season.
“Our equipment will be deployed to fix the worst sections of the road before Christmas. However, the State Government must assist us by clearing illegal structures along the Ihie Ndume area. This is to allow for proper drainage and road expansion in line with federal standards,” Valya added.
When contacted, the Federal Controller of Works in Abia State, Tony Onwubiko, confirmed the development. He, however, stated that the project’s progress depended on the availability of funds.
“The Federal Government is aware of the situation. Once funds are released, work on the road will resume in full swing,” Onwubiko said.
source: Punch
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