Governor Alex Otti of Abia commissioned the 19.1-kilometre Itungwa-Mgboko-Amaise-Amairi-Omoba-Ahiaba-Nkwo-Elechi Road for rehabilitation on Wednesday.

In a speech at the ceremony held at Omoba, Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area (LGA), Mr Otti expressed the desire of his administration to transform the rural economic system in Abia through improved road infrastructure.

The road runs through seven communities in Isiala Ngwa South and Obingwa LGAs.

The governor said that the project is a World Bank-supported scheme under the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP) and the pilot phase of RAAMP projects in the state.

He said: “These roads shall, therefore, be constructed to very high standards to support the anticipated increase in economic activities in the communities.

“I am also excited to announce that we have since paid the N600 million counterpart funding for RAAMP.

“I have also approved the release of additional N2.6 billion to facilitate effective project execution and cut down incidences of delays over the entire project cycle.”

Mr Otti said that the government had set up the Rural Access Road Agency for continuous maintenance of rural roads and plans to set up the State Road Fund for the purpose of raising funds for timely maintenance of roads to sustain the anticipated gains of RAAMP.

The National Coordinator of RAAMP, Aminu Mohammed, described the project as a pathway to progress and a bridge to prosperity in rural communities.

Mr Mohammed, represented by the National Communications Officer of RAAMP, Vivian Amadi, expressed the determination of the agency to transform lives and improve agricultural activities.

He said that the federal government, in collaboration with the World Bank, the French Development Agency, and other stakeholders, remained deeply committed to addressing rural infrastructure challenges.

Mr Mohammed said that RAAMP remains a testament to the commitment to rehabilitate rural roads, improve rural transport infrastructure and provide enhanced access to markets.

Also, the Commissioner for Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, Blessing Felix, said that the road would play a significant role in stimulating socioeconomic development in the benefiting LGAs.

Ms Felix urged the communities to take full ownership of the project to ensure the long-term sustainability of the road.

The contractor, Christian Soroibe, said although the project had an 18-month delivery timeline, his company was working towards delivering it in 12 months.

“We have a large deployment of equipment and manpower to ensure that this project is delivered in record time.

“We are assuring the general public of a great quality of work,” Mr Soroibe said.

In separate speeches, the Transition Committee Chairmen of the two LGAs, Eric Egwuibe and Elelenta Elele, said that the road would boost the economic development of their area.

They assured the contractor of their support to ensure a seamless execution of the project.

In an interview with journalists, the state president of the Cooperative Motor Union, Chukwuma Azodo, said the road would improve vehicular movement in the area when completed.

Mr Azodo also said that the project would enable commercial transport operators to easily access commuters in the rural communities and assist farmers to move their produce to markets in the cities.

He said, “This project will support our business as commercial drivers and we are giving the governor 100 per cent support.”

(NAN)