GOV OTTI, UMAHI PLEDGE STRONGER FG-ABIA SYNERGY ON ROADS INFRASTRUCTURE

Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has reaffirmed his administration’s unwavering commitment to partnering with the Federal Government on key infrastructure development, especially on road projects that directly impact the lives of the people.

Governor Otti made the pledge on Thursday while receiving Nigeria’s Minister of Works, Engr. Dave Umahi, who paid him an unscheduled courtesy visit at his country home in Nvosi, Isialangwa South LGA.

Welcoming the Minister and his team, Governor Otti expressed gratitude for the visit and commended the Federal Government for supporting infrastructure renewal efforts in Abia.

“I want to reassure you that we’ll work collaboratively with the Federal Government for the benefit of our people,” Otti stated.

He recounted how President Bola Tinubu gave his nod for Abia to rehabilitate the failed Port Harcourt Road in Aba — a Federal road — after he requested approval and a refund.

“I told him I needed two things: approval to do the road and a refund of the funds. He laughed and asked, ‘Who uses the road?’ I said, ‘Abia people.’ He replied, ‘Then go ahead and do it for them.’”

According to the Governor, President Tinubu then directed the Minister of Works to issue the necessary approvals, which paved the way for the reconstruction of the now-completed road.

Otti also revealed that similar approvals had been secured for the reconstruction of the Ohafia-Arochukwu Road and the Umueme-Umuahia route, with work already underway.

He emphasized that what matters is delivery, not politics.

“When the roads are done, the credit goes to government — whether state or federal. What matters is that the people benefit,” he added.

The Governor noted that businesses are already feeling the positive impact of improved road infrastructure. Freight forwarders, he said, have commended the drastic reduction in travel time between Port Harcourt and Aba.

On the commissioning of the Port Harcourt Road, Governor Otti said the event was delayed due to the President’s recent foreign trip but would be rescheduled soon in collaboration with the Presidency.

He praised Engr. Umahi’s achievements in Ebonyi State, describing him as a visionary leader whose record shows that “governance is more about vision than resources.”

Umahi Applauds Otti’s Road Interventions

In his remarks, Minister of Works, Engr. Dave Umahi, applauded Governor Otti’s intervention on federal roads, calling it a major relief for commuters and residents in Abia.

Umahi disclosed that President Tinubu has granted standing approval for State Governors to rehabilitate federal roads within their territories, given that both state and federal roads serve the same people.

The Minister commended the quality of work on the reconstructed Port Harcourt Road and expressed satisfaction with ongoing federal and state-led projects across Abia.

He further revealed that the dual carriageway section of the Aba-Port Harcourt Road is nearly completed and will be ready for commissioning by November 2025.

Umahi, who said the Tinubu administration inherited 2,604 road projects nationwide, urged governors to complement federal efforts in infrastructure by taking on federal road projects in their states.

He also highlighted the Tinubu-led government’s goodwill toward the South East through various ongoing federal road projects and called on the region to support President Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.