The Senate has urged the Ministry of Works and Housing to urgently intervene and include the repair of Umuahia-Umudike-Ikot-Ekpene, Aba-Osisioma to Port-Harcourt roads in the planned nationwide repairs.

It also mandated the Senate Committee on Works (when constituted) to investigate the award of the contracts for the reconstruction/rehabilitation of the roads.

The upper chamber said this is to ascertain the level of funds released, utilisation, level of work completed and factors contributing to the unaccounted delays in the execution of the projects and report to it within four weeks for further legislative action.

The resolutions were sequel to a motion moved by Darlington Nwokocha (LP-Abia) at Tuesday’s plenary.

The motion was tagged “Urgent Need to Investigate the Delay in the Completion of Umuahia-Umudike-Ikot-Ekpene, Aba-Osisioma to Port-Harcourt Roads”.

According to Mr Nwokocha, the roads are critical national assets and Federal Government Category A Interstate roads, traversing and connecting the country’s South-East, South-South, South-West and Northern geopolitical zones.

He said the state of the roads had remained deplorable due to unaccountable delays in completing the projects.

“The roads also serve as the arteries of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPC-Limited) operations, providing the company an alternative channel for the distribution of petroleum products and important agricultural produce nationwide,” he said.

Mr Nwokocha further said that despite spending more than N15 billion on these critical roads since inception, the Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene Road had only attained six per cent completion as of April 2023.

“While the Aba-Ikot Ekpene and Aba-Port-Harcourt roads continued in their deplorable states, it has led to the economic stagnation of the former boisterous commercial city of Aba with more than 1000 businesses closing down,” he explained.

He said the roads, if not expeditiously addressed, would worsen the devastating economic woes and threats to lives and property posed by the failed sections.

(NAN)