By Ihechinyere Chigemeri-Uwom
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 socioeconomic development.
Ikpeazu made the claim in Umuahia on Saturday in a state broadcast to commemorate 31st anniversary of Abia.
The military administration of retired Gen. Ibrahim Babangida created Abia on Aug. 27, 1991.
The governor described the road projects as monuments that would testify to the work of his administration.
Ikpeazu said that 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.
Ikpeazu said that 48 roads projects were on-going and efforts were being made to complete them before May 29, 2023.
He said that 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 lamented, however, that his administration faced challenges, especially in the area of security and management of workers payroll, wage bill, pensions and other emoluments, adding that efforts were being made to resolve the issues.
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 was not jeopardised in the name of politicking and electioneering.
“There can never be meaningful development in an atmosphere of rancour and strife.
“We must remember that we have no other place to call home than Abia. We will not set our own home ablaze to spite our brethren.
“Nobody’s ambition is worth the disruption of the peace of Abia and we will work with security agencies to enforce this,’’ he said.
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)
