Ebonyi State Government has been lauded by the House of Representatives Committee on Works for complying with quality standard in the construction of federal roads in the state.

The committee made the commendation when its members led by Tobe Okechukwu inspected the Nkalagu-Ehamufu Road, Abakaliki-Afikpo Road and the Amasiri-Okposi-Uburu Road that are currently being reconstructed by the Governor David Umahi-led administration.

The inspection on Tuesday by the Committee is part of the oversight function on Federal Government roads in the states of the federation.

Okechukwu told journalists that what they had seen was a clear manifestation that the Ebonyi State Government had enormous capacity to improve road infrastructure.

“Seeing is believing. I think the efforts of Ebonyi State Government is manifestly clear. The quality of work and strategic nature of the investment on infrastructure are very good. I believe what they are doing is futuristic. And that is expected because, His Excellency is an engineer, so he knows what will last,” he was quoted as saying, in a statement on Friday by the Governor’s spokesman, Emma Anya.

The committee chairman assured that the committee would make recommendations to the Federal Ministry of Works for refund of monies expended by the state government on the federal roads based on verifiable evidence.

The lawmaker also pledged to make recommendations for the inclusion in next year’s budget, the second section of Obolafor-Nkalagu-Ehamufu-Ikem Road to alleviate the suffering of motorists and transporters.

Tobechukwu said the team was encouraged by the massive investment of the Ebonyi State Government on projects that were futuristic and strategic. He specifically mentioned the three flyovers and other road projects going on in the state.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Works and Transport, Engr. Fidelis Nweze, who conducted the Committee members round the road projects, had appealed to the Federal Government to show its presence in the state by constructing more federal roads and refunding the state about 75 per cent of her resources invested on its roads.

The Commissioner listed the federal roads receiving attention from the state government as the Nkalagu-Ehamufu Road, Abakaliki-Afikpo Road Amasiri-Okposi-Uburu Road and Amasiri-Ngudu Edda Road.

He told the Committee that all efforts were geared towards the completion of the roads before March 2017.

“We are doing these because we cannot allow our people to continue to suffer because we have federal roads. I am appealing to you, Sir, to tell our brothers over there to look into Ebonyi State and come to our rescue on federal projects and road construction,” the commissioner said.

•Photo shows Hon. Tobe Okechukwu.

Update news