Ebonyi ring road project
Ebonyi Govt. signs contract for last phase of ring road project
[From CHINEDU NWAFOR, Abakaliki]
Ebonyi Government, Wednesday, signed agreements with two contractors for the construction of the last phase of the 199km-ring road project.
The contract signing ceremony was held at the conference room, Governors office, Ochoudo centenary city, Abakaliki, the state capital.
Governor David Umahi in his speech said the ring road project had become a reality.
He said the struggle for realization of the project started in 2015 when he assumed office.
“I think the circle is completed, and we have to be grateful to God,” Umahi declared.
Umahi said the project was being funded with the loan from the African Development Bank.
According to the Governor, for avoidance of 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.
“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 of 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 excited and it’s been tug of war with these two last Contractors in terms of the pricing and timing, because insisted 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,” Umahi said.
The Governor further urged the community leaders to provide local Ebube Agu security personnel to give security to the Contractors and their equipment.
Earlier, State Commissioner for Works and Transport, Mr Obasi Abara, explained that the last phase of the ring road project that comprised sections 3 & 4 were awarded to CGC and CCEC.
“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 explained.
The representatives of the two Contractors in their separate speeches promised to deliver the job according to specifications and on time.
The ring road cuts across 8 local government areas of the state.
