Ebonyi spends over N690million on road infrastructure maintenance

In a bid to keep its road network at par with what obtains in other parts of the globe, Ebonyi State government weekend said it had spent over N690million on road infrastructure maintenance across the state, in the last two years.

This is even as it has said that it would be disappointing and laughable for people to say that the state government, led by Engr. Dave Umahi was ‘vindictive’ with its infrastructural development.

It added that the various projects so far executed by the state government cut across different religious, ethnic and political leanings and were evenly spread in all the 13 local government areas of the state.

The Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Governor on Infrastructural Maintenance, Chief Ali Odefa made this disclosure in Abakaliki during an exclusive chat with The Daily Times.

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Odefa, who also superintends and supervises the Ebonyi State Roads Maintenance Agency (EBROMA) said prior to the advent of the current administration, most roads in the state were impassable and in dilapidated state, adding the state government had embarked on massive infrastructural projects, its meager resources notwithstanding.

On why the Ebonyi State government has embraced concrete road technology instead of asphalted road considering its high capital cost, he noted that although it was more expensive to do concrete road than asphalted, adding that, “The truth of the matter is that the soil texture of Ebonyi is so bad that you can’t put the guarantee on asphalted roads, even if they are done by a multi-national construction company. But concrete roads give you a lifetime guarantee.

They last longer. So that’s why the state government has deemed it necessary to consider concrete roads, as against asphalted roads. We want to do something that will last for our children, and the generation after them long after we are gone. The state government wants to do something that’s sustainable”.

Describing Governor Umahi as a practical man, Odefa said part of the reasons why the governor was always on sites to inspect projects, was to ensure that international best practices were followed and to enhance strict adherence to quality, pointing out that why jobs are not properly done in this part of the world was because of lack of supervision.

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“This is there is no local government area in this state, where a multi-billion-naira project, especially road has not been executed or is ongoing. So it feels disappointing and laughable for people to come up and say the governor has been vindictive with his infrastructural development”.

“It’s not strange; it’s the man who has the ball that’s being tackled.

The Governor’s projects in this state are being spread and done in such a way, that no matter where you are you, you will feel the impact. Dividends of democracy are going round judiciously in Ebonyi State, under Dave Umahi’s administration unlike what we had before now here. And the man is a highly detribalised person. Therefore, his programmes and projects cut across every nook and crannies of this state”, Odefa said.