UMUAHIA – The Federal Controller of Works in Abia, Mr Nasiru Bello, said 10 out of the 20 federal roads in the state were undergoing rehabilitation and reconstruction.
Bello told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Umuahia on Wednesday that the projects were estimated at about N120 billion.
The list of the projects, included the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the 59.5km Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway at a cost of N39.5 billion.
Bello said the project inaugurated on Sept. 2, 2013, was awarded to Setraco Nigeria Limited.
He said the Federal Government also awarded rehabilitation and reconstruction of the second section of the Abia end of the expressway totaling 56.1km from Abia Tower to Aba Township Rail/Road Bridge Crossing at N50.9 billion.
According to him, the two projects are expected to last for approximately 40 months.
The 46 km Umuahia-Bende-Ohafia Road which cost N2.1billion was expected to be completed in 16 months, the controller of works said.
He said that 23.7km of the roads had so far been completed in the state.
According to him, the 65km Arochukwu-Ohafia Road is also undergoing rehabilitation at a cost of N2.3 billion and it is expected to last for 20 months but only 15km has so far been done.
“The 43.2km Calabar-Itu-Ikot Ekpene-Aba-Owerri Road (Section 111) is also being rehabilitated at a cost of N2.99 billion and the project is expected to be completed in 20 months.
“The rehabilitation of the seven kilometer Olokoro-Isiala-Oboro-Nnono Road Junction at a cost of N515.3million is ongoing and it is expected to be completed within six months.
“Also, the rehabilitation of the Olokoro-Ahiaukwu-Itaja-Okwu-Obuoha/Isicourt-Ikwuano Road (phase 2) at a cost of N990.7million is ongoing,’’ he said.
According to him, work is in progress on the 39.3km Nkporo-Abiriba-Ohafia Road which cost N2.7 billion, while the rehabilitation of the six kilometre Ahiakwu-Amangwu-Umuahia-Ngwa Road is expected to be completed in 12 months.
He said 10 other federal roads in deplorable condition were the 33km Umuahia-Ariam-Akwa Ibom Road and the 29km Aba-Azumini Road, the 20km Uturu-Mile 2 Ebonyi border and the 21km Abayi-Aba-Ohabiam Road, among others.
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Meanwhile, official of the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) in the state told NAN on the condition of anonymity that the Umuahia-Ariam-Akwa Ibom Road, awarded for rehabilitation had been abandoned.
He said that the contractor handling the road reported to site but suddenly stopped work, citing the lack of funds as his reason.
He said that the agency had written warning letters to the contractors, urging them to return to site immediately or face punitive measures. (NAN)