Slow Pace Of Road Projects Worries Chime

The Enugu State Governor, Barrister Sullivan Chime, has expressed total displeasure and disappointment over the slow pace and quality of work being done by contractors handling both the Enugu-Onitsha road and the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressways.

Governor Chime who made his feelings known at the flag-off of the rehabilitation of the Enugu- Abakaliki road project, also  expressed dismay that it was taking up to eight years to fix the affected roads, regretting that the impact of the new road project would not be fully felt if the other roads remained in dilapidated states.

Governor Chime further lamented that the Federal Government had turned down a request by South East governors to take over the roads and be reimbursed, and wondered why the carnage and damage being suffered by users of the roads should be allowed to continue.

Flagging off the rehabilitation project on behalf of  the Federal Government, the Minister of Works , Architect Mike Onolomemen,  assured that when completed, the road would  substantially improve the movement of peoples’ goods and services as well as considerably reduce travel time, vehicle operating cost and traffic related fatalities.

The Work Minister stated that the project was also an integral part of the Transport Facilitation Programme (TFP) for the Bamenda-Enugu Road corridor which leads to the Republic of Cameroun.

Represented by the Minister of State for Works, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda, the minister   promised that the project which is co-financed by the World Bank and the Federal Government at the ratio of 9-1 would be delivered within the scheduled 24 months.

He, however, told both the contractors and the Road Sector Development Team (RSDT) which oversees the federal roads development projects of the World Bank to dedicate themselves to meeting the deadline and ensure that the quality of work to be done was guaranteed.

The Minister who was accompanied by the Chairmen of the Senate and House Committees on Works Senator Ayogu Eze and Hon Ogbuefi Ozomgbachi and the Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State, Hon. Dave Umahi,  paid courtesy call on Governor Sullivan Chime at the  Government House, Enugu.

Also speaking, Senator Eze promised that the National Assembly would closely monitor the implementation of the Enugu-Abakaliki road project to ensure that it met all expectations, adding  that provision would  be made in the next budget for  its dualisation  as well as 9th Mile-Lokoja road.

He noted that the design for the 9th Mile -Makurdi-Oturkpo-Keffi road had been completed and was awaiting implementation.