UMUAHIA, ABIA STATE
The persistent and decades-long difficulty in traveling between Abia and Akwa Ibom States is finally set to end, following the official flag-off of the 25-kilometre Umuahia–Ikot Ekpene Road reconstruction by Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti.
This critical intervention, announced on Thursday, addresses a federal highway that has been in a deplorable condition for decades, causing untold hardship to motorists and residents alike and severely hampering socio-economic activities across the region.
The Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene Road, a vital link between Abia and Akwa Ibom, has suffered from decades of neglect, making travel between the states arduous, time-consuming, and costly. The Abia State Government, having secured necessary approvals from the Federal Government, has taken the proactive step to reconstruct the road, recognizing that infrastructure serving the people shouldn’t be “hindered by jurisdictional boundaries.” The 25-kilometre project will be executed by GELD Construction Ltd and is expected to be completed within 18 months. It will feature modern amenities, including solar-powered streetlights.
Governor Alex Otti followed up the flag-off of the federal highway reconstruction with a second project close to his heart: the 13.5-kilometre Ariam Usaka Ring Road in Ikwuano Local Government Area.
The Ariam Usaka area is a fertile, food-producing belt in Abia State. The Governor described the ring road as a “strategic connector linking agricultural zones and catalysing local enterprise.”
The project is part of the administration’s broader infrastructure expansion plan aimed at opening up rural communities and unlocking prosperity. It will specifically cover Oboro, Ibere, Oloko, Ariam, and other surrounding communities, enhancing trade and mobility.
The contract details for the road are as follows: it has a length of 13.5 kilometres (some sources indicate 13.1 km) and the contractor is GELD Construction Ltd (the same company handling the Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene Road). The project is scheduled for completion within 12 months.
This local road project underscores the Governor’s commitment to inclusive development, ensuring that rural areas and the agricultural sector benefit directly from the state’s infrastructure investment.
