MINISTER ORDERS ACCELERATED WORK ON ONITSHA - ENUGU ROAD

BY VINCENT UJUMADU
AWKA- MINISTER of Works, Mr. Mike Onolememen, has directed the contractor handling the reconstruction of the Onitsha-Awka-Enugu Expressway to accelerate work on the gully erosion site that devastated the Omagba axis of the road to ease traffic in the area during the Christmas season.

Onolememen, who gave the directive while inspecting parts of the road with Governor Peter Obi, instructed the contractor to engage more workers to concentrate on the site while maintaining work on other parts of the project so as to keep to the contract schedule.

He explained that the road was of special importance to the Federal Government because of its strategic location and heavy traffic, adding that the road would benefit from the proposed deregulation of petroleum products.

Governor Obi in his remarks, disclosed that the state government would commence perimeter fencing of the bridge-head to Upper-Iweka axis as part of measures to beautify the area, in line with modern city up-grading project, as well as to protect road users and ensure free flow of traffic.

Obi directed traders and others doing business on the service lanes to vacate the area immediately to facilitate the reconstruction work, warning that government would not allow any obstruction or interference to impede the pace of work on the project.

He said government would commence immediate enforcement of the existing law against street trading and enjoined the traders to go back into any of the markets in the area for their businesses.