12th April 2025, NewsOrient, Governance And Development, Business And Economy, News
Posted By Samuel Egburonu, Editor

Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has commissioned the first and second phases of the strategic Umuahia-Uzuakoli–Isuikwuato-Alayi-Item-Igbere-Abiriba road and has renamed the road as Joe Irukwu Road.

He announced the naming of the road at the commissioning of sections 1 and 2 of the newly constructed 46.3KM Umuahia-Uzuakoli-Abiriba-Ohafia Road at Uzuakoli on Friday, April 11, 2025.

Distinguished guests, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo, graced the commissioning event.

In his speech at the grand event titled, ‘The Courage to Do Right,’ Gov Otti said “it gives me great pleasure to announce that the government has decided to name this road after a great son of the land. One that made us proud in his lifetime. A man described as Mr. Insurance. Prof. Joe Irukwu of the blessed memory. The road will henceforth be called Joe Irukwu way in honour of Dee Ogboo as he was fondly called.”

Here is the text of the speech:’

“The Courage to Do Right

Being the Text of a Speech Delivered by Governor Alex C. Otti, OFR, at the Commissioning of Sections 1 and 2 of the Newly Constructed 46.3KM Umuahia-Uzuakoli-Abiriba-Ohafia Road at Uzuakoli on Friday, April 11, 2025

1. Government exists to set the economic and social trajectory of the society through its policy choices and patterns of public expenditure. Poverty and prosperity are in the hands of the government and whichever path it chooses is reflected in how it directs public resources. Every community as we know it has the resources and structures that can give it broad economic and social advantages when developed and put to good use. The hard work of creating a favourable environment for mining the advantages within an economy, whether large or small, is why governments exist.

2. Our dear State of Abia is blessed with an extensive array of natural and human resources that confers distinct advantages on us. It is unfortunate that for decades, not much was done to address the structural obstacles that impinged on the productivity of our factor inputs. We suffered the misery of poverty, unemployment and mass migration of our young people for the simple reason that the right structures were not put in place to accelerate the rapid socio-economic development of our communities.

3. We came to office with a resolute determination to address decades of infrastructural deficit and its devastation on our progress. Beyond just fixing roads and other infrastructure needs, our overarching governance goal is to create wealth for the people by opening up our communities to the wonders of investments, production and trade.
As I had stated repeatedly, Abia has no business with poverty or unemployment in view of the fact that we have large expanse of fertile agricultural land. This is in addition to the creative ingenuity of our men and women, a rich history of cross-border trade and an adventurous spirit that cannot be held back by fear or disappointment.

4. On this note distinguished ladies and gentlemen, let me happily welcome you to the formal commissioning of the 46.3KM sections 1 and 2 of the reconstructed Umuahia-Uzuakoli-Ozuitem-Lohum-Nkpa-Umuimenyi-Isuikwuato-Alayi-Item-Igbere-Abiriba Road. I wish to specially thank our father, His Excellency, President Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR, and his entourage for joining us for this important exercise. There are no words to fully capture the measure of our gratitude to President Obasanjo who has been in the state since yesterday, supporting us in our various development initiatives particularly in the health sector where the State is partnering with his Foundation to support our brothers and sisters with hearing impairment. The fact that Abia was chosen by the Olusegun Obasanjo Foundation to benefit from this humanitarian endeavour speaks to the depth of love our former president has for the great people of Abia. We thank you, Your Excellency, for agreeing to come in person to commission this road project to the greater glory of the Almighty God and for the benefit of mankind.

5. You may recall that when we flagged off this project on February 7, 2024, I announced that we had chosen 3 reputable construction giants to guarantee timely completion. I am glad that the contractors clearly interpreted our intentions and deployed the necessary resources to achieve the target. Our core strength as a government, beyond the prudent application of public resources, is the ability to plan and the discipline to follow through on our well-laid plans regarding project execution, timely payment of verified claims to vendors and a flair for effective supervision so as to protect the long-term interest of taxpayers.

Today’s commissioning ceremony is an eloquent testimony to our resolve to doing things differently as a government.

6. This administration has zero tolerance for shoddy jobs or the kickback culture that enables them. Project terms are clearly defined and once costs are agreed, nothing below the agreed specifications is ever acceptable. This afternoon, we can see for ourselves that we build to last. Without exaggeration, we can assure that the long stretch of road starting from Umuahia to Ohafia will serve motorists and a broad category of users for years to come.

7. By completing this project, we have not just shortened travel time for drivers and commuters coming into Umuahia from communities within Ohafia, Bende and Isuikwuato LGAs, we have also cut down risks of accidents, security threats and transport costs for scores of thousands of individuals and families. Anyone living or doing business along this axis can now travel safely to Umuahia and other urban centres within and outside the State at any time of the day or night, unafraid of harassment by criminal elements who took advantage of the bad state and darkness of the road in the past to wreak havoc on innocent travellers.

8. As the Honourable Commissioner for Works Engr Don Otumchere Oti and other very important stakeholders noted in their separate remarks, the completion of this road now guarantees speedy and safe transportation of agro-produce from our agrarian communities to the urban centres thereby cutting cost of food items while empowering farmers economically. This road will ultimately unleash the wholesale economic potential of this part of the State by making farming attractive to a new generation of young people, support job creation and ultimately deal a big blow on the menace of poverty in many communities.

9. By rebuilding strategic public infrastructure such as this, we are actively eliminating the barriers that stunted the productivity of our people for decades. Never again will farmers suffer avoidable losses on account of bad roads or inability to push their products to the urban markets where they attract higher returns. The good news is that there can be no excess supply of agricultural produce in the market because of the exploding population of our metropolitan communities.

10. Individuals and families are relocating to Abia in record numbers owing to the steady improvements in our stock of urban infrastructure, security of lives and property and our friendly disposition to businesses. We are more than glad to welcome as many as are willing to tap into the new opportunities that are emerging in the State. Once you can add value to the economic and social realities of our communities, you are welcome.

11. We recently launched several public-private partnership initiatives to significantly extend the boundaries of our urban corridors through investments in real estate, public utilities and transport networks. Our long-term goal is to build a large urban sprawl that would close the boundaries between Umuahia and Bende and beyond, Umuahia and parts of Isialangwa, and then Aba and the remaining part of Isialangwa, Obingwa and Ukwa. Ohafia, our third urban corridor would cater to the remaining part of Abia North. The development framework we are pursuing would see communities in all parts of the state urbanise at an unprecedented rate, creating opportunities for millions of people along the way.

12. Our plans may be ambitious but not unrealistic and that’s why we have remained focused and dedicated to our development-centred governance agenda. We are committed to prudent use of public resources which explains why we have financed all our projects without borrowing a dime up to this moment, even when there are multiple offers from local and international lenders. Again, we have ensured that we meet all maturing debt obligations contracted by our predecessors in office, leading to massive reduction in our debt profile as published by the Debt Management Office. We shall continue to meet our administrative and development obligations as a government by channelling every resource at our disposal to where they are guaranteed to yield the highest possible social return.

13. The road project we have gathered this afternoon to commission could not have happened without your taxes. It is therefore fitting that I use this auspicious occasion to appreciate every tax paying adult and businesses in the State for partnering with us to rebuild public trust in democracy after years of betrayal and unproductive politicking. May I also invite all of us to recommit ourselves to the regular payment of our individual and business taxes, confident that every penny that makes its way to the State’s coffers will be effectively utilised in bringing development to our communities.

14. It is important to announce that these new public infrastructure projects will yield greater dividends when individuals and businesses leverage them to create wealth and job opportunities in the communities through investments. This is the best time to invest in Abia because the government has not just created a friendly environment for enterprise; we are also committed to securing whatever is invested in the State. Our brothers and sisters living in different parts of the world are invited to make the most of the new streams of opportunities in the State to bring their wealth home.

15. We have gotten reports of the incessant theft of crops and farm produce in different communities across the State by criminal elements. The State Government is also in receipt of multiple complaints of the destruction of crops and farms by livestock. None of these is acceptable; we had therefore directed the Commissioners for Agriculture, Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, and the Senior Special Assistant on Homeland Security to work with security agencies, traditional rulers and heads of town unions across the State to develop modalities for putting an immediate stop to all forms of threat to agriculture and food production in any part of the State.

16. Abia, like I had mentioned, is welcoming to anyone who is capable of adding value to our economy; we shall, however, invoke the full machinery of the law to deal decisively with anyone whose actions threaten our economic prospects or damage the enterprise of our hardworking men and women. Some people who had tested our will in the past can confirm that they didn’t and have not found it easy.

17. Over the next few months, we shall commission more roads along this corridor including the Nnunya-Eluama Road, Arochukwu-Ndi Okereke-Ozuabam Road, Arochukwu-Ohafia Road and of course, Section 3 of this road which shall be completed in the next few weeks. As the Commissioner for Works rightly mentioned, we are not just building roads, we are opening up communities, creating opportunities and giving our people confidence to dream again. With your support, we shall see greater things across the State in the next 24 months.

18. Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, it gives me great pleasure to announce that the government has decided to name this road after a great son of the land. One that made us proud in his lifetime. A man described as Mr. Insurance. Prof. Joe Irukwu of the blessed memory. The road will henceforth be called Joe Irukwu way in honour of Dee Ogboo as he was fondly called.

19. Thank you for listening and may God bless Abia State.”

~ Published By NewsOrient Network

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