Abia Plans Ozu-Oji-Ndi Arochukwu Roads

Abia State government has pledged to begin work on the Ozu Abam-Ndi Oji-Ndi Okereke-Arochukwu Road after the rainy season.

Gov. Theodore Orji who made the pledge  Sunday in at an interview with newsmen, said the road which would have been completed during his first term in office, was stalled because of some challenges experienced in his first tenure between 2007 and 2011, and promised to mobilise contractors to site after the rainy season.

“The road, Ozu Abam-Ndi Okereke-Ndi Oji Road, is a very important road, but in a very deplorable situation and that was why when I came on board, I awarded contracts for the construction of that road, but because of circumstances surrounding the first tenure, we could not realise that road.

“But right, now I’ve gotten quotations from contractors to continue working on that road after the rainy season.

While reacting to the poor state of the Abam Rubber Estate in Arochukwu, Orji said government would create an enabling environment for investors and would welcome public tenders for the management of the estate.

“We have had problems with the rubber estate, problem of management; not that the rubber estate is not lucrative; very lucrative.

“People wanted to take over the rubber estate and we didn’t allow that. Also, the owners of the land have their own ideas about the rubber estate.

“At the end of the day I said, government is not good in running business, government has no business in being in business; what you do is to provide the enabling environment for people to come and manage the business for you.  The governor also encouraged tender submissions from capable indigenous companies on the rubber site and from the community where the rubber estate is located.

He said: “If you go and get a foreigner, the land owners will oppose them when they come, they will fight them.

“So we encourage those from the areas where the rubber estate is, to apply amongst others; we’ll pick the best and hand over the estate to them for management.

“That is what we are doing right now so if you have anybody from that side who is interested, let the person apply to the Ministry of Agriculture.’’

Orji stressed that the state needed committed contractors who possess faith and confidence in government to handle the state’s projects.