Imo Adopts New Approach In Road Construction, Maintenance

Imo State  government, says it has adopted a new approach to road construction and maintenance in the state which will involve active participation by engineers in its employ.

The Deputy Governor of the state, Sir Jude Agbaso, who is also the Commissioner for Works, said this last Friday in Owerri, during a meeting with engineers from the ministry.

Agbaso said that henceforth, the engineers in the state’s Ministry of Works would be adequately empowered to supervise new road contracts and maintain existing ones in the state.

He said that the Engineers would soon be posted to the 27 local government areas in the state to carry out the functions.

The deputy governor said that instead of operating three zonal road maintenance units without achieving the desired results, the new arrangement would have a central road maintenance office.

He said that central road maintenance office would coordinate the activities of the local government resident engineers.

Sources said that former governor Ikedi Ohakim-led administration created the zonal maintenance offices located in Owerri, Orlu and Okigwe.

Governor Rochas Okorocha, who was present at the meeting, said that there was the need to adopt the approach because it would guarantee quality control of road contracts and proper maintenance.

Okorocha said that the measure had become imperative as his administration was set to construct 15km roads in each of the local government areas, in addition to other road projects.

The governor said that a percentage of the contract value of any project would be appropriated to the maintenance unit for its operations.

He warned that his administration would not hesitate to deal decisively with any Engineer that compromised in the new assignment.

He said that the state government would set up a construction company, with private equity that would compete favourably with notable construction companies in the country.

Okorocha assured the Engineers that government would provide the enabling environment for them to achieve the desired result as well as grow in the profession.

Also present at the meeting was the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Benjamin Uwajimogu.