The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has promised that the reconstruction of the nine-kilometre Okeikpe-Obehie road in Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State will soon be completed.
The interim administrator of the NDDC, Dr. Efiong Akwa, who gave the assurance during the inspection of the project, said on completion, the road will make life a lot easier for the people that travel and live along that axis.
Akwa said the project, which was for long abandoned before the commission intervened, links Abia and AkwaIbomstates, adding that the road will be installed with street lights upon completion.
He praised the people of Ukwa West for the patience they had exercised despite the poor condition of the road for a long time. “I am particularly impressed by your show of appreciation of our efforts,” Akwa said.
The interim administrator commended the youths of Ukwa West for providing the enabling environment for the contractor to perform to the best of his ability, thereby delivering on quality.
Akwa also commended the contractor for doing a good job and thanked the community for appreciating the efforts of the commission, promising that the NDDC would continue to execute projects that would enhance the living conditions in the Niger Delta communities.
The director, NDDC Abia State office, Mr. DimgbaEruba, disclosed that the two roads being reconstructed by the commission had been in deplorable condition for many years, leading to loss of several man-hours, with the resultant negative effects on the socio-economic activities of the area.
“Prior to this reconstruction, getting to the NDDC office in Okeikpe from any direction was a nightmare. The roads have also been a hotspot for kidnapping, armed robbery and other social vices,” Eruba said.
Erubaadded, “The roads provide some safe and preferable shortcuts for our brothers and sisters in Imo, Ebonyi, Enugu, Cross River and AkwaIbom states, to Rivers and Bayelsa states.”
Chairman of UkwaWst Local Government, Chief OkeyKalu, praised the NDDC for constructing quality roads for the people of the oil-producing local government area.
“For over 20 years, this road has been in deplorable condition but today, 3.8km of the road has been completed while work is progressing on the remaining 5.2km,” saying that it will boost economic and social activities between Ukwa West people and their neighbours.
In an address read on behalf of the Ukwa West Traditional Rulers’ Council, the secretary, EzeNdubuisiOgbuji, noted that the roads were life-saving as they would bring economic and developmental projects to Ukwa West people.
The traditional rulers declared, “We are grateful for these two major roads, which links us to both AkwaIbom on one hand and Rivers State on another hand. The number of deaths and economic losses experienced on the roads for more than seven years now cannot be estimated.”
Ukwa West is one of the two local government areas that are oil producing in Abia State. The other is Abia State.
