By KINGSLEY OKOYE

Senate has mandated its Committee on Works, when constituted to investigate the award of contracts for rehabilitation of Aba-Ossisioma, Port Harcourt, Umuahia-Ikot-Ekpene roads.

It specifically mandated the committee to investigate level of funds released, utilisation and the level of work done so far.

Senates’ resolution followed consideration and adoption of a motion at plenary on Tuesday.

The motion, title urgent need to investigate delay in completion of Umuahia Umudike-Ikot-Ekpene, Aba-Ikot Ekpene and Aba-Ossisioma to Port Harcourt roads was sponsored by Sen. Nwokocha Darlington (LP Abia).

Nwokocha in his debate said Aba-Ossisioma, Umuahia-Umudike, Ikot Ekpene and Aba to Ikot-Ekpene roads are critical national assets and Federal Government category “A” interstates roads.

He said the road traverses and connects the South-East, South-South South-West, and Northern geo political zones of the country.

According to him, the roads, are central to the economic and social nerves of the cities of Aba Umuahia, Uyo, Ikot-Ekpene and Port Harcourt and serve as the arteries of Nigeria National Petroleum Cooperation Limited operations, providing the company an alternative channel for distribution of petroleum products.

He said Important agricultural produce nationwide has continued to perish due to uncountable delays in the completion of the road projects.

He said the Federal Government had awarded contract of the road to messers CGCC Global Project Nigeria Limited, Heartland and Raycon Construction Company and China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC), saying that the project was funded by NNPC limited .

He said the funding was pursuant to the Presidential Executive Order 007 signed in 2019 under the Road Infrastructure Tax Credit Scheme designed to boost Nigeria’s national road asset and marginally reduce critical infrastructure deficit in Nigeria.

According to him, the NNPC, limited had handed a symbolic cheque of N621.24 billion for reconstruction of the 21 critical roads across the country including the Aba-Ikot Ekpene Umudike-Ikot-Ekpene roads to the Federal Government.

He decried that despite expending in excess of N15 billion since inception on the critical roads, the Umuahia Umudike-Ikot-Ekpene roads had only attained 6 per cent completion as at April 2023.

He said the deplorable state of the Aba – Port Harcourt roads has led to economic stagnation of former boisterous commercial city with more than 1,000 businesses closing down.

This, he said had resulted in negative impacts on standard of living of households, youth unemployment, government revenue and general productivity.

Senate in its further resolution urged the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing and Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) to urgently intervene and include repair of the failed portions of the roads, in its plan.

The upper chamber also urged the ministry to ensure provisions for full and permanent solution to urgently complete the road. (NAN)

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