Aba North and South Fed. Lawmaker flags off road project

The member representing Aba North and South Federal Constituency, Hon. Ossy Prestige has flagged off the second phase of reconstruction work on Ohanku road in Aba South Local Government Area of Abia State.

While the first phase of the federal government attracted project covered 800 meters, the second would cover 400 meters.

Our reporter gathered that the popular Ohanku road when in good condition served as a link through which indigenes of Ugwunagbo, Ukwa Eastand West including and other neighbouring communities ferry their farm produce to Aba.

The road also served as an alternative route used by residents of Ngwa road to link Aba-Port Harcourt Expressway than using the major route within the town that usually experience gridlock.

Unfortunately, the road got so bad that vehicles could no longer ply on them; making it difficult to farmers to transport their farm produce Aba market, causing farmer in the agrarian neighbouring communities to suffer great loss. 

It was learnt that after years of abandonment, the road has become impassible with many houses including churches within the popular Amucha junction usually submerged at the least drop of rain.

Investigation by our reporter has it many tenants and landlords have been forced out of their houses because of the devastating flood impact on the road.

Sources in the area told our reporter that several palliative works on the road after initial work on the road by former Governor Orji Kalu between 1999-2003 have failed due to blocked drainage and poor work done by the contractor(s).

Residents of the area however, stated that the intervention of the federal government has brought relief to their plights, but demanded that they should expedite action on the road ahead of the coming rainy season and appealed for both federal and state intervention on the road.

The Ohanku road which stretches from Ngwa road in Aba South LGA to Ukwa East and West LGA is expected to serve as an alternative route to Port Harcourt, Rivers State on completion.  

Prestige while addressing residents of the area at Umuogele market said “We are here to remind you that the dry season is here again. We have come back to site to start from where we stopped last year.

“This is over twenty years that this road got spoilt and has since been abandoned by successive administrations.

“It is not my duty to construct the road as member representing this area at the federal house, but it is my duty to talk to the federal government for them to come and construct it. That is why the federal ministry of housing came here last year to start the rehabilitation work on the road.

“They have come here again to ensure that the road is put into shape and to enable you have access to your shops and houses and also to ensure that people from Aba will come here to buy the produces from your farms.

“I am here to let you know that my being to Abuja is to ensure that whatever that is your plight is presented before the federal  government.

“I am promising that I will make sure that this road is completed as soon as the funds were made available by the federal government. I  urge you to give the contractor the necessary support to ensure that the road project is completed.

Prince Okey Ndigwe, MD Dongreg International Limited said the first phase of work done on the road is 800meters, adding that the second phase will cover 400 meters.

Ndigwe said that the road would be finished within three to four years, depending on the available of funds released by the federal government to complete the entire project. This is even as he reiterated of replicating the quality of work done at the first phase in the second phase.

Engr. Yusuf Ademoegere from Federal Ministry of Works and Housing said that he represents federal government on the site to inspect the project.

Recalling how bad the road was before the intervention of the federal government, Ademoegere said that before the intervention by the federal government, the road was impassible as it was completely submerged,adding that the stabilization of the 800meters at the 1st phase of work on the road has helped to reduce the agony of road users.

He urged the people to refrain from dumping refuse in the drainage which has been a common attitude of people living and trading on the road.

“We have made efforts to open the drainage, but in a very short time, it is closed again which is not helping the road.

“I am from Abuja. It was through the honourable that we got to know that this road exists. It was his influence that we know that a road like this in his constituency has remained impassible over the years.

Hon. Uche Nworu, a youth in the area lauded Prestige’s concern for the people of the area and pledged the support of the people to enable the contractor to speed up work on the road.