In Abia, The Era of Constructing “Action Roads” is over As Ikpeazu Builds Them To Last

By John Okiyi Kalu

I personally understand when some politically manipulated folks in Abia State complain about duration of execution of some road construction projects in the state.

The fabled king of Igbo folklore, Nna Mbe (tortoise), survived many days inside the pit toilet but the very day rescue came his way he started shouting “bring me out quickly before the smell of excreta kill me”.

Many of our people are probably still living in the 1999-2007 era of “action” road construction; it usually took a maximum of 3 weeks to start and finish a road project that normally fail to survive the first rain fall.

For those in that group, it is difficult to explain to them why the planning of Faulks (Ariaria)-Ifeobara road project took 7 months of detailed review and research before arriving at a final design for the reconstruction of Faulks-Ariaria road that ultimately led to the defeat of Ukwu Mango and Ama Ikonne challenges.

Using that road as example, permit me to point out that on his very first day of resumption of work as Governor of Abia State, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu flagged off Faulks road reconstruction alongside 6 other roads at Aba. But when he visited the project site, few months later, he discovered that the work being done by the selected local construction company will not bring lasting solution to the problems along that important stretch of road. In response, the Governor cancelled the Faulks Road contract and sent the contractor to another straight forward road project site.

Governor Ikpeazu subsequently invited A-rated Setraco construction company with specific instructions to bring in their consultants from Netherland to undertake a study of the area and produce a fail-proof solution to the decades old Faulks road failure challenges.

It took Setraco 7 months to complete the relevant studies and produce the design that the world today applaud as the solution to the flooding problems around Ifeobara and even Ndiegoro area of Aba that made Late Chief Sam Mbakwe to weep in the 80s.

“I am aware that Ukwu Mango has defeated previous administrations in the state but I want to assure our people that ukwu Mango will not defeat me”, Governor Ikpeazu told traders at Ariaria in 2015.

Faced with paucity of funds and competing needs, the Governor endorsed an ambitious N6.8b contract for the reconstruction of Faulks (Ariaria) road in June 2016 with a mandate to totally reconstruct the road from Brass junction of Aba-Owerri road to Ariaria junction of Enugu-PH Express way as well as installation of a 5.6km underground drainage pipe that will evacuate storm water from Ifeobara basin (near Ukwu Mango Ariaria) to waterside river.

Bearing in mind that the work will take an estimated 24 months, he urged the contractors to first execute palliative works along the road to make way for traders, visitors and residents to continue to do business at Ariaria market while also reconstructing proximal link roads to Ariaria-Faulks road such as Umule, and MCC roads to further ease movements around the area. At the other end of the road, he also awarded contracts for the reconstruction of Umuocham road, Umuatako road, Chima Nwafor road, Umuehilegbu road and St Paul’s Street to create alternative approaches to the Faulks road area.

It is exciting to note that the project slated for completion in 24 months will be commissioned in April 2018; 2 months ahead of published schedule. Meanwhile work on Osusu road has commenced in earnest after the completion of the gigantic Faulks road underground drainage pipe while Umuatako road is fully ready for commissioning and already in use by Abians.

Most of those who complain of long project execution time under Ikpeazu possibly know about the published duration for the projects but are still living in the era of “action” roads in Abia State. They simply want what we call “Ozigbo Ozigbo” solutions that don’t last.

Sorry folks, Ikpeazu is now the Governor of Abia State and he is wired to build only roads that last.

If it were in that “action” era the same folks would have by now be shouting about recoating of failed “new” roads and would probably have been satisfied with further artificial measures to pacify them while the “action man” wins re-election through sheer political manipulation using generous deployment of lies and amnesia inducing populist propaganda.

My people, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu is not an “action Governor”; he builds to last.

He is also building Aba Road Umuahia to last. Same with all the other 38 road projects he commissioned in 33 months. Visit Ehere, Umuola, Kamalu, Ochefu road, Agharandu, Emejiaka, Owerri road off Okigwe road, Chima Nwafor, Abiriba ring road, Road 2 Low cost Housing Estate Umuahia etc that have survived 3 rainy seasons and see for yourself the benefit of having a build to last leader as our Governor.

Even the much hailed first ever Osisioma (Flyover) Interchange which was started in January 2017, with a project duration of 2 years, is being attacked by unscrupulous political hirelings. Without regards to the fact that the flyover is already taking shape within the stipulated timeline and those who initially claimed that it was a borehole have long been disgraced. Yet they ignorantly think the project should have been completed in 3 months.

Ndo.

It is important to note that the duration of a road project is usually determined by the scope of work to be done, topography and geography of the area as well as funding plan.

Initially Faulks road was to be done with funds from AfDB but desperate Abia politicians worked night and day, from office to office at Abuja and Ivory Coast to scuttle the already approved direct funding arrangement with AfDB simply because they wanted Governor Ikpeazu to fail so they can have talking points to contest 2019 polls. With the delay in the funding arrangement, Governor Ikpeazu had to innovate to fund the Faulks Road project and others listed in the long negotiated deal with AfDB.

Furthermore, Abia State at best has 5 months construction window every year. You can only guarantee dry weather, necessary for road projects, between December and early April every year. Yet Governor Ikpeazu pushes road contractors to at least construct drainages during the rains and then wait for dry weather to continue.

Aba in particular and much of Abia State fall within a low-lying heavy rain fall belt of Nigeria. Ifeobara basin is the lowest area in low-lying Aba and the city receives more rains per annum than 95% of the cities of Nigeria.

It is instructive to note that because of the straight forward nature of roads like Ehere, Umuola, Ochefu, Omni, Enuc, Owerri road off Okigwe road etc, they were reconstructed within six months of Ikpeazu’s administration using the innovative Rigid Pavement (cement) technology.

Only those who live and work in Abia State understand these facts and hence appreciate the work Governor Ikpeazu is doing to change the Abia narrative positively. Those living in Lagos and Abuja but only come to Abia to attend funeral ceremonies and political meetings will most likely not get it. They are therefore to be pitied when they claim that Ikpeazu roads exists only at Facebook where they live and Govern.

Well done Ndi Facebook Governors.

Real Abians living at or near the roads constructed by Governor Ikpeazu are already laughing at our Facebook Governors and seeing them for who they are; DESPERATE power seekers.

Ask any of those our 2015 helicopter politicians to tell Abians what they would have done differently or better if they were allowed to govern Abia by “fire by force” and you will see them looking for text books to read about good governance and speak okpotokpo bekee. Whereas Governor Ikpeazu continues to deliver good governance for scholars to capture and write about in future for them to read.

It is also instructive to note that many of our hitherto helicopter flying politicians now come to Abia with their luxurious cars, even as they make false public claims on the massive improvements in Abia road infrastructure.

Thank God for real succesful Abians like Chief Bourdex Onuoha who live in and have real investment in the state. I applaud his courage in publicly acknowledging that because of the work Governor Ikpeazu is doing he can now drive through the state with his state of technology phantom Limosine.

Really, would any of the perennial power mongers of Abia State have brought better road contractors than Setraco, Arab Contractors, Bulletine and the Chinese Company executing the Osisioma Flyover project?

Would they have assembled better local contractors than McCaumson from USA, TrakCare, Rock Waters, Del Hope, Frank & Gene etc?

After all the lies, propaganda and election time philanthropy, the wise people of Abia State will go to the polls in 2019 and decide whether to stay with “Ome Nke Ahuru Anya” of Abia State, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, or risk surrendering the state to the same apostles and supporters of “action road” philosophy seeking to re-plug their evil drain pipes into Abia treasury.

Until election day, let the reconstruction of Port Harcourt road Aba, Osusu road Aba, Ngwa Road, Abiriba-Nkporo road, Idima-Abam road, Ndi Oji-Ndi Okereke Arochukwu road, Nkpa road etc continue.

38 completed roads in 33 months is not “asu anwuru” by any standard. It is more than one reconstructed road per month of Ikpeazu’s Administration, in addition to more than 50 re-asphalted roads within same 33 months.

Talk is cheap; the silent performer remains our pride as Governor of Abia State.

Happy Sunday my people, remember to go about your normal duties this week with full compliment of thanksgiving to God Almighty who is with us in Abia State. He alone gave us “Kurutu Abia” as our Governor.