Gov. Alex Otti of Abia, on Wednesday, commissioned the more than 3-kilometre Uratta Road and 3.955-kilometre Old Express Road in Aba for reconstruction, assuring the residents they will be completed within 24 months.
In an address at the ceremony in Aba, Otti said: “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 because the money is sitting in the bank.
“The engineers and heavy-duty equipment you find here moved ahead of us, and will remain until the projects are satisfactorily delivered.”
The governor said the reconstruction of the roads marked a significant step towards restoring Aba’s infrastructure and commercial importance. He described the projects as part of the first phase of the Greater Aba Road Infrastructure Restoration Programme.
He said that improvement in the condition of the roads would begin immediately, although the overall completion timeline was 24 months or less.
Otti recalled that the deterioration of infrastructure in Aba had contributed to the departure of businesses, loss of jobs and decline in the city’s reputation as a regional centre of commerce and industry.
Otti said the reconstruction of the two roads would end about 25 years of suffering experienced by residents and businesses along the corridors.
“When these projects are completed and inaugurated 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.
“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 with thousands losing their jobs as customers took their patronage elsewhere.
“The reputation of Aba as the regional engine of commerce and industry slipped away,” he said.
Otti further said that the poor state of infrastructure had contributed to rising criminality, such as armed robbery and kidnapping.
He said that his administration, upon assumption of office in 2023, had committed itself to restoring Aba’s former glory, including improving security.
“You can take it for granted that the 25-year nightmare you faced on Uratta and Old Express Roads is now over and never again will you have those ugly experiences that defined our past,” he said.
Otti recalled that previous administrations had made efforts to rehabilitate the roads but failed to deliver lasting results. “This time, the story is different, and the projects shall be completed and delivered on schedule,” he said.
He said that the projects were being executed under the Abia State Integrated Infrastructure Development Programme, launched in July 2025, with the involvement of the State and Federal Governments and development partners.
The governor acknowledged the support of the African Development Bank, the Islamic Development Bank and the Canadian Climate Fund in advancing the programme.
He, however, acknowledged that construction activities would cause some inconvenience to residents and businesses along the corridors.
Otti directed the project team to maintain regular engagement with stakeholders and address legitimate concerns promptly.
He urged residents, landlords and business owners to cooperate with the contractor, saying that appropriate construction and resettlement protocol would be followed.
He also appealed to them to pay their taxes and report suspicious activities to security agencies.
The Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Chief Emmanuel Emeruwa, expressed delight at the pace of development in the state.
Emeruwa said the residents of the Old Express and Uratta Roads axis had experienced untold hardship over the years because of the poor condition of the roads.
He described the projects as a welcome development, saying the rehabilitation would give residents a new lease of life.
Also, the Commissioner for Works, Mr Otumchere Oti, said the roads would improve connectivity, traffic flow and economic activities.
Oti said that the Old Express Road would be constructed as a dual carriageway, linking Port Harcourt Road to Faulks Road, while Uratta Road would be constructed as a single carriageway, linking Port Harcourt Road, Aba to the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway.
According to him, the projects would feature drainage infrastructure, street lighting, bus stops and road markings to improve safety and traffic management.
He said that the roads would strengthen Aba’s internal road network and enhance connectivity between major transportation corridors.
In his remark, the Project Coordinator of ABSIID, Dr Ndudim Ononiwu, commended the governor for his commitment to providing infrastructure to improve the livelihoods of residents.
Ononiwu also thanked the host communities, Eziukwu and Obuda, for accepting the projects and cooperating with the government.
He urged the communities to sustain their cooperation with the contractor to ensure the successful execution of the projects.
The Chairman of Old Express, Uratta Road and Aba la Ohazu Indigenes, Chief Isaac Emejuru, thanked the governor for embarking on the rehabilitation after decades of neglect.
Emejuru said that residents had endured hardship for more than 20 years due to the deplorable condition of the roads.
He said that three successive administrations had failed to fix the roads, expressing optimism that Otti’s administration would deliver on the projects.
“We assure the governor that the residents of this area will vote massively for him in 2027,” Emejuru said.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Eze Emmanuel Ugwuzor of Okpojiaku-Aba Ancient Kingdom described the rehabilitation as an honour, expressing gratitude to the State Government for remembering his people.
Ugwuzor said the projects would improve residents’ welfare and boost government revenue through increased economic activities and tax payment.
He appealed to the governor to extend the rehabilitation to adjoining roads linking the Amaugwu axis of the Old Express and Uratta Roads with Ariaria, to improve connectivity.
