Member representing Ikwuano/Umuahia federal constituency, Honourable Sam Onuigbo has assured the people of his constituency that the Umuahia-Ikwuano-Ikot Ekpene road will soon be completed for their use, to end the nightmare associated with the use of the road.
Hon. Onuigbo who spoke at stakeholders meeting which took place MOUAU Women Association Centre on Thursday said he has been in touch with the federal authorities since assumption of office as a member of House of Representatives to ensure that the road is constructed.
According to him, when he was elected into the House of Representatives in 2015, the Umuahia-Ikwuano-Ikot Ekpene federal road had completely collapsed to the extent that most parts of it were impassable.
He said he committed everything within his power to ensure that respite is brought to the people.
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“The first step I took was to move a motion on Thursday, May 26, 2016, calling for urgent attention on the road. I followed this up by seeking for and having a meeting with the then Honourable Minister of Power, Works and Housing, His Excellency Babatunde Raji Fashola SAN, on Tuesday, June 14, 2016.
“At that meeting, I presented the Honourable Minister with pictorial evidence of the sad and deplorable state of the road and made two requests: that the Minister directs the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), to carry out a palliative work on the failed sections of the road; and secondly that action is taken to end the annual ritual of carrying out palliative works on the road, by effecting a total reconstruction of the road.
“In a letter dated June 15, 2016, and signed by the Coordinating Director of Highways, Engineer Bala Danshehu on behalf of the Honourable Minister, the Minister affirmed his commitment to ensuring that first, palliative works are carried out on the failed sections of the road, and then to ensure that total reconstruction is carried out” he said.
The lawmaker said that the contractors, Messrs. Hartland Nigeria Limited and Raycon & Company Nigeria Limited, mobilized to site during the last quarter of 2019, adding that the pace of work was very slow due to the inadequate release of funds by the Federal Government.
Hon. Onuigbo said he has continued to push for increase in funding during every budget cycle with relative success, noting that paucity of funds a major challenge.
He therefore revealed that he sought alternative means of funding to realize the objective of tackling once and for all the deplorable state of the road.
“Thankfully, on October 27, 2021, the Federal Government approved the provision of alternative means of funding for the road, under the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Road Tax Credit Scheme. This move has shone a huge light on the possibility of finally reconstructing this all-important road and has raised our hopes tremendously.
“For this, I am profoundly grateful to President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR and his administration and the Honourable Minister for making this possible. I am not only thankful to President Buhari’s administration, but also to the totality of my constituents who have shown their unwavering faith in me, knowing that like them, I too bear the pains of the bad state of the road” he added.
While appealing for patience, he reiterated that he is determined to ensure that the road is completed in due time.
