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Otti Assures Timely Completion of Uratta, Old Express Roads
Otti Assures Timely Completion of Uratta, Old Express Roads
…Says Funds Fully Secured
Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, has assured residents of Aba that the reconstruction of Uratta and Old Express roads will be completed within 24 months, declaring that funding for all phases of the projects has been secured and will not impede delivery.
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Governor Otti gave the assurance on Wednesday during the flag-off ceremony in Aba, marking the commencement of reconstruction works on the 3.095-kilometre Uratta Road and the 3.955-kilometre Old Express Road.
He said; “the money is sitting in the bank”, assuring that the contractors and equipment mobilised to the sites would remain until the projects were satisfactorily delivered.
Channel
“It may especially interest us to know that the resources required to finance every phase of the project have long been secured, so there will be no delays.
“So the story is that if the entire money had not been assembled, we wouldn’t be here today.
“So if there is a delay, it’s not because there is no money. The money is sitting in the bank.
“The engineers and the heavy-duty equipment you find here moved ahead of us, and will remain until the projects are satisfactorily delivered”, Governor Otti assured.
The Governor described the roads as critical to restoring Aba’s infrastructure and strengthening its position as a regional centre of commerce and industry.
He noted that the projects form part of the first phase of the Greater Aba Road Infrastructure Restoration Programme and expressed confidence in the capacity of the contractor, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), to deliver quality work within the stipulated timeframe.
Governor Otti said the reconstruction would bring relief to residents and businesses that had endured years of hardship due to the deplorable condition of the roads.
The Governor recalled that the prolonged deterioration of infrastructure in Aba had forced several business owners to relocate, resulting in job losses, reduced commercial activity and a decline in the city’s reputation.
“It was painful to watch several business leaders abandon what they had built through the years in Aba to move to other places as the deterioration endured.
“The exit of these entrepreneurs created growing gaps in the local economy as thousands lost their jobs. Customers took their patronage elsewhere, and the reputation of Aba as the regional engine of commerce and industry slipped away”, he said.
Governor Otti also linked the poor state of infrastructure to rising criminality, including armed robbery and kidnapping, saying his administration had prioritised the restoration of Aba’s economic vitality and security since assuming office in 2023.
He assured residents that the current intervention would produce lasting results, unlike previous efforts by past administrations to rehabilitate the roads.
Gov Otti
“When these projects are completed and commissioned in about 24 months or less, we can formally declare an end to the nightmare of the last two and a half decades or even more.
“You can take it for granted that the 25-year nightmare you faced on Uratta and Old Express roads is now over. Never again will you have those ugly experiences that defined our past
“This time, the story is different, and the projects shall be completed and delivered on schedule”, Governor Otti further assured.
The Governor said the projects were being executed under the Abia State Integrated Infrastructure Development Programme(ABSIIDP), launched in July 2025, with support from the state and Federal Governments and development partners.
He acknowledged the contributions of the African Development Bank, the Islamic Development Bank and the Canadian Climate Fund to the infrastructure programme.
He urged landlords, business owners and other residents along the corridors to cooperate with the contractor, as well as fulfil their tax obligations and report suspicious activities to security agencies.
In his address, the Commissioner for Works, Engr. Otumchere Oti, said the projects would improve connectivity, traffic flow and economic activities across Aba.
The Commissioner explained that Old Express Road would be reconstructed as a dual carriageway linking Port Harcourt Road to Faulks Road, while Uratta Road would be built as a single carriageway connecting Port Harcourt Road in Aba to the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway.
According to him, the projects would include drainage systems, street lighting, bus stops and road markings to improve safety and traffic management.
Engr. Oti said the roads would strengthen Aba’s internal road network and improve connections between major transport corridors.
He added that functional roads and properly planned urban infrastructure were essential to unlocking the state’s economic potential.
Also speaking, the Project Coordinator of the ABSIID, Dr Ndudim Ononiwu, commended Governor Otti for prioritising infrastructure development and improving residents’ livelihoods.
Ononiwu thanked the host communities for accepting the projects and cooperating with the government, urging them to sustain their support for the contractor throughout the construction period.
He said the completed roads would improve accessibility and connectivity as well as stimulate commercial activities in the area.
Earlier, the Chairman of Old Express, Uratta Road and Aba la Ohazu Indigenes, High Chief Isaac Emejuru, commended Governor Otti for initiating the reconstruction after years of neglect.
Emejuru said residents had endured hardship for more than 20 years and noted that three successive governors had failed to fix the roads.
He expressed confidence that Otti led administration would deliver the projects and pledged the support of residents ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
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