Ebonyi Govt. Awards 146 Km Contract Being Last Phase Of 199 Kmabakaliki Ring Road Project.
The Ebonyi State Government has awarded 146-kilometer road construction contract to CGC and CCEC, foreign companies being the last phase of the 199-kilometer Abakaliki Ring road project.
The government had completed 43km out of the 199km ring roads that cut across eight out the 13 local governments in the state.
The government and the two companies, yesterday signed agreement for the construction of the remaining 156km road.
The signing ceremony took place at the Governor’s office, Centenary City, Abakaliki, the state capital.
In his remarks, the state Commissioner for Works and Transport, Engr. Ogbonnaya Abara said the project was being funded by African Development Bank (ADB).
“This time last week, we were here to sign agreement for the ring road project (sections 3&4) being funded with the loan from the African Development Bank. In the ceremony, we told us that two of the Contractors had not finished documentation, but today, the documentations had been done and they are ready for signing. I want us to note that sections 3 & 4 are in four lots”, he said.
Governor Umahi while signing the project, said the process of securing the loan for the construction of the 199km ring road, started from his predecessor, Chief Martin Elechi and that he had hitches in securing the loan until he came in and secured the loan, leading to the actualization of the project.
He said “I think the circle is completed, and we have to be grateful to God. The projects is now a reality, 199kms of the ring road. We have done about 43kms, leaving about 156kms for the contractors under the funding of African Development Bank. For avoidance doubt, this loan something started with my predecessor, but he had a lot of hitches. But when we came on board, we had to appeal to Mr President who isolated Ebonyi State and sent our request to the Senate for approval. And we have been on it since 2015, even somebody took us to court along the line but court ruled in our favour.
“Today, we are very exited and it's been tug of war with these two last Contractors in terms of the pricing and timing, because we insisted that the projects must be completed within my tenure so that if the amount approved by the Federal Government is to be exceeded so I can shut down some things to make sure that the ring road is a reality.
"I appeal to our traditional rulers to assist the contractors. Provide them with Borrow Pits so that they can do a thorough job. If we have good latrites, the road will last. And I insist the traditional rulers, the Local Government Areas Chairmen and the Coordinators should provide them with the local Ebubeagu, which they will pay for. This is important so that they will be able to stay on sites all the time to do the job."
He urged the benefiting communities to provide local security which the Contractors would pay for to ensure the contractors were secured in doing their work.