Abia Spends N3.5 bn On Federal Roads

Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State has said his
administration spent N3.5 billion to rehabilitate federal roads in Aba.

Orji
said this at the Citizens’ Forum, organised as part of the activities to wind
up a four-day National Good Governance Media Tour of the state.

He
said that N1.8 billion was spent on the Aba-Owerri Road, while N1.7 billion was
expended on the Aba-Port Harcourt Road, which are in deplorable conditions, and
explained that the government had awarded contract for the rehabilitation of 16
state roads out of which two have been completed.

The
governor’s explanation came on the heels of the question that most of the
projects by his administration were concentrated in Umuahia, the state capital.

He
remarked that no road project in Umuahia cost more than N500 million, saying
that the cost of road projects in the capital city ranged from N100 million to
N500 million.

He,
however, noted that it was imperative for government to give the city a
befitting look as the state capital.

“It
is possible that visitors to the state may not get to Aba and the impression
they might have about Umuahia as the state capital is what they will hold about
the state,’’ he said.

Orji
also said that government did not owe any worker in the state, and explained
that the failure of some local governments to present their payrolls to the
auditor-general for vetting at the end of every month led to the delay in the
payment of workers in such councils.