The Federal Government has approved the reconstruction of the dilapidated Umuahia-Ikwuano-Ikot Ekpene road through the Road Tax Credit Scheme, the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola has said.
The Minister said the project is part of the projects approved by the Federal Executive Council for funding by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) through the Road Tax Credit Scheme.
In a letter dated addressed to the member representing Ikwuano/Umuahia federal constituency of Abia State in the House of Representatives, Hon. Sam Onuigbo, the Minister asked the lawmaker to prevail on his constituents to remove all structures and crops within the right of way to ensure early commencement of work on the road.
The Minister’s letter, which was in response to several appeals by the lawmaker on the needs to fix the road, was signed on his behalf by the Director, Highway Construction and Rehabilitation in the Ministry Engr. F.B. Esan
Titled “Re: Umuahia-Ikwuano-Ikot Ekpene Federal Roads: Need for Urgent Action”, the letter reads: “I would like to refer to your letter dated 27th September, 2021 on the above subject matter.
“The Ministry commends your efforts and commitment to see that your constituency enjoys the infrastructural drive embarked upon by the present Administration.
“However, you may wish to note that the contractor has not totally abandoned the project site. The Federal Controller of Works, Abia State reported that the contractor is hampered by insufficient funds leading to a reduction in activities on the site.
“As you may be aware, the project has been approved for funding by the NNPC through the Road Tax Credit Scheme. This is expected to address the funding challenges on the project and ensure timely completion. You may also address your constituents to remove all structures and crops within the Right of Way (RoW) to enable the contractor have unimpeded access to execute the reconstruction of the road.”
Speaking with newsmen, Onuigbo expressed appreciation to the President for approving the commencement of work on the road.
He said: “This has been on since 2016. To be precise, I held the first meeting with the Minister on June 14, 2016 to convey to him the terrible, deplorable state of the road from Umuahia to Ikwuano to Ikot Ekpene which is a federal road.
“And to be fair with the minister, after my presentation which was supported by pictorial evidence, he agreed right there that the road had indeed collapsed. And consequently, he approved that FERMA should immediately intervene to do palliative work to allow trucks to pass. Trucks could not pass by then. They used to form kilometers of trucks. Any truck that tried to pass got stuck.
“So, he got that approved. So, from that June up until December, the job was awarded by FERMA. The contractor came and we did the flag off on December, 15, 2016. So, between then and sometimes in April June of 2017, the road was fixed and it became motorable. That was the failed section of the road.
“But in the letter that the minister gave to me, he commended me for having the interest of my constituency at heart. He did not stop there. He further promised that I should take the letter as a commitment of the federal government to really fix that road because it is a very important, major economic artery that is used for conveying goods from Calabar port, export processing zone, prospecting an oil serving equipment covering some sections of the Niger Delta.
“You know through Abia to Cross River to Rivers; Abia to Akwa Ibom to Cross River and even up to the Cameroons. So, it’s a major road. So, the Minister made that promise on behalf of the federal government.
“So, I want to thank the minister, Babatunde Fashola, SAN, and also the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari for being able to focus on infrastructural renewal.
“The road was eventually awarded on 2019 but due to paucity of funds, they could not go ahead with the construction. So, it affected the speed with which the contractors were handling the job and when we now brought that to the attention of the federal government through the office of the minister, I want to say that they graciously now included the Umuahia-Ikwuano-Ikot Ekpene federal roads amongst the roads to be funded through the tax credit by NNPC. That’s where we are now.”
(The Nation)
