The efforts of Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu to rebuild infrastructure in Abia State particularly in the commercial city of Aba, have received a major boost as the African Development Bank, is set to inject $200 million ( about N58 billion ) for infrastructural development in the state.
This hint was disclosed yesterday by the state's Coordinator of Infrastructural Development, Mr. Bob Ogu while fielding questions from newsmen after conducting a team of AfDB officials around some federal roads in Aba.
The fund according to him is a loan facility which will be deployed solely for infrastructural development in the state.
He explained that the team was in the state to verify if the state had met the necessary conditions required to qualify for the facility.
"AfDB is currently doing the technical analysis and studies of the roads before releasing funds for repairs of the roads", he added.
Ogu said the state had put in place all the structures needed to attract the facility, and expressed optimism that the officials after their assessment would recommend the state for the facility which he said would help make Abia the envy of other states.
The AfDB delegation from the Headquarters of the bank in Abidjan, led by Mr. Mwila Aeron Katambula, the Bank's Transport Specialist, visited a number of sites in Aba.
Leader of the delegation, Katambula however declined to address the press on their findings, saying their opinion would be communicated after briefing the Headquarters.
Katambula had earlier during a courtesy visit to Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu at the Government House in Umuahia, expressed the willingness of AfDB to partner with Abia State in development projects.
His words: "We are eager to participate in the development of Abia State. Our mission today is a follow up to meeting we had before, we want to ensure that everything is ready because we want to fast track the projects that the bank will take up in Abia."
Responding, Gov. Ikpeazu, expressed joy that a number of developmental projects in the state would be fast tracked with the AfDB funds.
" Abia State can't wait to see the commencement of reconstruction of some major roads in Aba, especially Port Harcourt road and Ikot Ekpene road, among others", Ikpeazu said.
He noted that his administration places high premium on road transformation because of its multiplier effects on the economy.
"Road infrastructure is very important to us in Aba. Apart from being the commercial nerve Centre of Abia, Aba is the SME Centre of Nigeria. Aba is very important to the economy of both Abia and Nigeria.
"So the issue of road infrastructure, waste management and storm water management are the challenges we face in Aba.
"Abia State does not have the resources to do good work at Port Harcourt and Ikot Ekpene roads. With your visit today, you've renewed our hope that help will come very soon and the roads will be fixed.
"On our part we have tried to do what is required of us in terms of ensuring that the ground work is done to enable AfDB come in", Ikpeazu said.
The AfDB team was accompanied on the visit by another team from the Federal Ministry of Works Abuja .
Both the AfDB and FMW teams later met with the State's Commissioners for Works, Hon. Eziuche Ubani; and that of Finance, Hon. Obinna Oriaku, to fine- tune talks on accessing the funds.
Both teams led by the Works Commissioner later proceeded to Aba for on the spot assessment of key Federal Roads in the commercial city including the nightmarish Port Harcourt and Ikot Ekpene Roads .
The inspection tour offered them the opportunity of first hand information of the level of decay of the roads and the trauma and suffering of the residents and travelers in and around these two key roads.
Ubani had during the tour, told the AfDB and FMW teams that the state government "is desperate to fix roads in Abia, and Aba in particular to stimulate economic activities and drive development across the state"
"So far we've done a good number of roads which fall within the responsibility of the state, but unfortunately, we can't fix federal roads without first agreeing on terms of fixing them with the Federal Government.
"Unfortunately we don't have the amount of money required to fix these roads, especially Port Harcourt and Ikot Ekpene roads, that is why we are delighted to have the AfDB here together with a team from the Federal ministry of works, to see the level of deterioration of these roads."
Excited residents of the commercial town were observed asking the team to hasten the intervention to save them from the bitter experiences they were subjected to as a result of bad roads.
This hint was disclosed yesterday by the state's Coordinator of Infrastructural Development, Mr. Bob Ogu while fielding questions from newsmen after conducting a team of AfDB officials around some federal roads in Aba.
The fund according to him is a loan facility which will be deployed solely for infrastructural development in the state.
He explained that the team was in the state to verify if the state had met the necessary conditions required to qualify for the facility.
"AfDB is currently doing the technical analysis and studies of the roads before releasing funds for repairs of the roads", he added.
Ogu said the state had put in place all the structures needed to attract the facility, and expressed optimism that the officials after their assessment would recommend the state for the facility which he said would help make Abia the envy of other states.
The AfDB delegation from the Headquarters of the bank in Abidjan, led by Mr. Mwila Aeron Katambula, the Bank's Transport Specialist, visited a number of sites in Aba.
Leader of the delegation, Katambula however declined to address the press on their findings, saying their opinion would be communicated after briefing the Headquarters.
Katambula had earlier during a courtesy visit to Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu at the Government House in Umuahia, expressed the willingness of AfDB to partner with Abia State in development projects.
His words: "We are eager to participate in the development of Abia State. Our mission today is a follow up to meeting we had before, we want to ensure that everything is ready because we want to fast track the projects that the bank will take up in Abia."
Responding, Gov. Ikpeazu, expressed joy that a number of developmental projects in the state would be fast tracked with the AfDB funds.
" Abia State can't wait to see the commencement of reconstruction of some major roads in Aba, especially Port Harcourt road and Ikot Ekpene road, among others", Ikpeazu said.
He noted that his administration places high premium on road transformation because of its multiplier effects on the economy.
"Road infrastructure is very important to us in Aba. Apart from being the commercial nerve Centre of Abia, Aba is the SME Centre of Nigeria. Aba is very important to the economy of both Abia and Nigeria.
"So the issue of road infrastructure, waste management and storm water management are the challenges we face in Aba.
"Abia State does not have the resources to do good work at Port Harcourt and Ikot Ekpene roads. With your visit today, you've renewed our hope that help will come very soon and the roads will be fixed.
"On our part we have tried to do what is required of us in terms of ensuring that the ground work is done to enable AfDB come in", Ikpeazu said.
The AfDB team was accompanied on the visit by another team from the Federal Ministry of Works Abuja .
Both the AfDB and FMW teams later met with the State's Commissioners for Works, Hon. Eziuche Ubani; and that of Finance, Hon. Obinna Oriaku, to fine- tune talks on accessing the funds.
Both teams led by the Works Commissioner later proceeded to Aba for on the spot assessment of key Federal Roads in the commercial city including the nightmarish Port Harcourt and Ikot Ekpene Roads .
The inspection tour offered them the opportunity of first hand information of the level of decay of the roads and the trauma and suffering of the residents and travelers in and around these two key roads.
Ubani had during the tour, told the AfDB and FMW teams that the state government "is desperate to fix roads in Abia, and Aba in particular to stimulate economic activities and drive development across the state"
"So far we've done a good number of roads which fall within the responsibility of the state, but unfortunately, we can't fix federal roads without first agreeing on terms of fixing them with the Federal Government.
"Unfortunately we don't have the amount of money required to fix these roads, especially Port Harcourt and Ikot Ekpene roads, that is why we are delighted to have the AfDB here together with a team from the Federal ministry of works, to see the level of deterioration of these roads."
Excited residents of the commercial town were observed asking the team to hasten the intervention to save them from the bitter experiences they were subjected to as a result of bad roads.
AfDB set to inject $200 million for infrastructural dev in Abia.... Inspects fed roads in Aba
![AfDB set to inject $200 million for infrastructural dev in Abia.... Inspects fed roads in Aba]()
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Thursday, July 14, 2016
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