By Valentine Amanze
Imo State Governor, Chief Emeka Ihedioha CON, has flagged off the construction of the N23.4 billion 81km urban roads in the state.
He also promised that his administration would not consider geographical divisions while addressing the developmental needs of the state.
The governor gave the assurance while flagging off the projects on Thursday.
He said part of his administration’s cardinal agenda is to run a one-stop state, where democracy dividends would be evenly distributed across the 27 local government areas of the state.
The 16 roads earmarked for construction under the project include Nkume-Umuowa-Owerri Ebiri-Umuna-Orlu; Imo State University Teaching Hospital, Umuna; Mgbidi-Oguta; Douglas-Emmanuel College-Naze and Naze-Poly-Iheagwa-Obinze.
Others are Control-Post/World Bank; Ahiara Junction-Okpala; IMSU-Bishop’s Court; Okigwe Town/St. Mary’s Catholic Church, MCC/Toronto junction, Aba Branch/Ahiara Junction, Concorde/Zuma/Port Harcourt, among others.
The governor also flagged off the reconstruction of Government Technical College, Okporo, Orlu; Government Technical College, Owerri; Dan Anyiam Stadium and Grasshopper International Handball Stadium, Owerri.
On the flag-off, he said, “Today we are commencing construction of urban roads and comprehensive roads rehabilitation across the state to address the sorry state of our roads. We have tried to provide palliative measures on the roads ranging from the desilting of drainages to address the perennial flooding to filling the failed portions.
“We have deliberately chosen state roads while we have also commenced discussion with the federal government for the federal roads including Owerri/Orlu/Akokwa road.
“To ensure that a good job is done and to guarantee the durability of the project, painstaking processes were observed. The process of getting to this point was transparent and followed due process. All these were done to ensure not just quality assurance but value for money.
“It is significant again that we are flagging off this project in Orlu Zone. We are running a one-stop-state. For us all, Imo belongs to Imo people and geographical divisions have nothing to do with our unity as a people.”
The governor also assured that the construction of both the government technical colleges, and the stadium would meet the international standards to boost technical education and sports development in the state.
Besides, the governor advised the contractors handling the projects to deliver to specifications and guarantee their durability, pointing out that his administration was committed to providing durable projects.
At the flag-off of the Assumpta roundabout – Port Harcourt road project, the Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri, His Grace, Most Rev. Anthony Obinna, commended the governor for his achievements and urged him to ensure that the projects were supervised for quality delivery.
But the state Commissioner for Works, Mr. Ben Ekwueme; Special Adviser to the governor on Technical and Vocational Education and Training, Mr. Oliver Enwerenem; Chairman, Imo State Sports Commission, Chief Fan Ndubuoke, and top notch traditional rulers in the state had hailed the governor on the projects.
Ekwueme assured on behalf of the contractors that the project would enjoy life span of 15 to 20 years when completed, adding that all would be delivered fully between 12 to 18 months of the commencement.