By CHARLES IWUOHA

Governor of Abia State, Dr Alex Otti, says he has commenced the process of rejuvenating Aba, the commercial nerve centre of the State, with the handover of nine Road Projects to different contractors on Wednesday.

Handing over the projects, Governor Otti defied the afternoon showers as he toured the degenerated roads across the Aba metropolis.

This is contained in a press statement issued by the Chief press secretary to the Governor, Mr Kazie Uko on Thursday.

Excited residents according to the statement, cheered the Governor and his entourage, which included the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Emmanuel Emeruwa; his deputy, Rt Hon Augustine Meregini and the Deputy Majority Leader, Hon Destiny Akaraka Nwagwu.

According to the statement, at every stop Otti observed the decadence that dotted long stretches of the roads earmarked for rehabilitation.

“We had promised that we are going to rebuild the roads. The first thing is that we clear the drainages because if we don’t do that, we won’t be able to build roads that would last.

“As you can see on this Azikiwe Road, the main job here is to clear the drainages, desilt them and open up the flow of water to Aba River. “There are a few roads we want to rebuild completely and those are the roads that we have come to handover to the contractors today,” Uko quoted Governor Otti of telling the ecstatic crowd.

Some of the roads that will receive immediate attention in order to significantly reduce the sufferings of motorists within Aba are, namely: 1. University Road, Abayi 2. Green Avenue 3. Udeagbala Road 4 Shallom Road 5, Umuimo Road 6. Old Express Road 7. Abak Road with adjoining streets 8. Queens Street 9. Jubilee Road.

Speaking, the Special Adviser to the governor on Works said more roads will be included in due course adding that desilting of drains have commenced along Azikiwe Road.

The exercise, according to the SA Works, will continue along other roads to facilitate the free flow of stormwater, and hence, reduce flooding on the roads, the statement added.

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