On-going Ikwuano Umuahia/ikot ekpene road project Award: My dream come through - Rep Onuigbo

           The member representing Ikwuano/Umuahia Federal constituency, Hon. Sam Onuigbo said that the reconstruction of Umuahia-Ikwuano-Ikot-Ekpene road has
commenced despite the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic slowed down a lot of activities, the project is still on going. People in the construction industry mobilized to go back to the site and the Umuahia-Ikwuano-Ikot-Ekpene Federal road is one of the roads the contractors descided to resume work on even at this time.

            Speaking, Sam Onuigbo pointed out that the work is dependent on how the contractors decide to get the job done. It is solely the job of the contractors to decide how to schedule or face their jobs.

However, he said that the last time he visited the site, he saw that the contractors were working particularly on fixing the drainages to make sure that they do a quality job.

“The job started around Amawom area, so by now I think they must have reached Umuahia, zone 9 precisely” he continued.

            Onuigbo revealed that the contractors on the job are well tested and has a verifiable commendable performance in and outside the country.

“I believe that these are the terms the Federal government considered before the contract was awarded to them, and I am confident that they will be able to do the job” he stressed.

            Sam Onuigbo disclosed that he realized when he arrived at the national assembly that the Umuahia-Ikwuano-Ikot-Ekpene road has been and is still a nightmare because it’s difficult to recall the last time anybody tried to reconstruct the road and put drainages.

“None has been done since the war ended, so I took it upon myself as a major issue and went to meet the Honorable Minister for works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola(SAN) and presented our case, supporting my presentation with pictorial evidence of how the roads had indeed failed and collapsed as at June 14, 2016. Then after making the presentation, I told him that two things were required; Firstly, to take immediate action to fix the failed section to enable motorists to ply the road. Secondly, to award the contract for the total reconstruction and rehabilitation of that road.

He listened to my presentation, convinced by it and immediately gave instructions that FERMA should quickly come and repair those failed sections and they were eventually fixed and became motorable” he explained.

           Hon Sam Onuigbo further disclosed that it took him almost two years to get the road to be awarded for total reconstruction and just last year, the contract was awarded to Heartland construction company.

“It’s been a very long road in arriving at this point where the road has been awarded and I’m working very hard to ensure that some other sections of the road – from Amachara down to Ossah and then to Umuahia are dualized with a possible bridge across the tower. These are the things I’ve been working on for years, and by the grace of God they’re receiving attention” he stressed.

            Finally, Chief Sam Onuigbo appealed to the contractors to do their best and to redouble their efforts to ensure that this job is treated in the most professional manner. And on our own part, we’ll continue to work with the government to ensure that they are funded better than they are doing for them now.