The Governor of Ebonyi State, Engr. (Dr.) David Umahi, has announced his administration’s intention to dualise the Abakaliki-Afikpo Road, and complete a section of the Abakaliki-Enugu Expressway in order to attract trade and investments to the state.

He also said that bridges would be constructed across Ndibe Beach in Afikpo and Oferekpe River in Ikwo Local Government Area to link the state with Cross River State as a way of further opening up Ebonyi for commerce and industry.

Umahi made these known during the ground breaking ceremony of an ultra-modern regional market in Afikpo, in Afikpo North Local Government Area (LGA) on Monday.

The Governor directed that the regional market should be named after one of the illustrious sons of Afikpo and the Catholic Bishop of Abakaliki Diocese, Most Rev. Dr. Michael Okoro, for his humility and service.

He said: “I will dualise the Abakaliki-Afikpo Road and complete the dualisation of the Abakaliki-Enugu Highway from EBSU to town. These are federal roads but we are very ready to complete them.

“I believe we are also going to put a bridge across Oferekpe and a bridge across Ndibe Beach.

“On the new market, it shall be called Bishop Nnachi Okoro Regional Market. He is a man of peace, a man of humility, a real committed man of God and representative of Christ in Ebonyi State.”

The Governor also flagged off the construction of the 4.3-kilometre Ngodo-Amangbala-Amaizu road in Afikpo as part of his effort to build at least15 kilometers of roads in each of the13 LGAs in the state.

He directed his Senior Special Assistant on Infrastructural Maintenance, Ali Odefa, to start the maintenance of all tarred urban roads in Afikpo immediately.

Umahi said: “We have started one of the critical roads in Afikpo. The one that goes to St. Mary’s Catholic Church. We have directed that street lights should be started along the same road.

“I’m also directing my SSA on Infrastructure Maintenance to start from January 2 to maintain all the tarred roads in Afikpo. All portholes in Afikpo North must be filled.”

The governor, who was later given a grand reception at Amuro Mgbom Primary School field where he addressed a mammoth crowd, reaffirmed his determination to transform the area as promised during his electioneering campaign.

“We said we must give you a befitting market and we’ve chosen the timber shed area.

Very soon, you will see the hills in the area being made a plain field. You will see the valley being filled. A befitting regional market shall be there and it shall be one of its kind in the whole country,” he told the people.

Earlier, the Caretaker Committee Chairman, Afikpo North LGA, Ogbonnaya Oko Enyim, applauded the Governor for fulfilling his electioneering promises as well as taking development to all the communities in the state.

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