Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia says his administration has delivered more than 150 roads to the state in the past seven years to boost its socio-economic development.

Mr Ikpeazu made the claim in a state broadcast to commemorate the 31st anniversary of Abia.

The governor described the road projects as monuments that would testify to his administration’s work.

Mr Ikpeazu said the roads would also help to stem rural-urban drifts.

“We have delivered many pioneering and indelible landmark infrastructural projects across various sectors of Abia.

“A project like the Osisioma Interchange has forever changed the traffic narrative at that junction.

“Other roads we have built around Umuahia are all of immeasurable importance to the continued economic vibrancy of Abia,’’ he said.

Mr Ikpeazu said 48 road projects were ongoing, and efforts were being made to complete them before May 29, 2023.

He said the state government had evolved a long-term development plan and industrial policy as part of efforts to encourage sustainable development of Abia.

He added that the state government had introduced programmes that improved primary school enrolment from an initial 150,000 in 2015 to about 700,000 in 2022.

The governor, however, lamented that his administration faced challenges, especially in the area of security and management of workers’ payroll, wage bills, pensions and other payments, adding that efforts were being made to resolve the issues.

Mr Ikpeazu charged the people of Abia to participate in the 2023 general elections with decorum and respect for the unity of the state.

He said security agencies had been put on high alert to ensure that the peace and unity of the state were not jeopardised in the name of politicking and electioneering.

“Nobody’s ambition is worth the disruption of the peace of Abia, and we will work with security agencies to enforce this,’’ he said.

Mr Ikpeazu also called for the support and cooperation of the people of Abia to make the state an investors’ haven in the days ahead.

(NAN)