By Ezechukwu Adimoha

In his continued effort to restore Aba’s status as the commercial hub of the South-East, Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, has flagged off the reconstruction of two economically strategic roads in the city, Uratta Road and Old Express Road, assuring residents that the projects would be completed within 24 months.

Governor Otti, who spoke during the flag-off ceremony at Uratta Junction, along Port Harcourt Road, Aba, said the funds required to execute all phases of the projects had been secured.

The Governor said the reconstruction of the 3.095-kilometre Uratta Road and the 3.955-kilometre Old Express Road 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.

Recalling the years of infrastructural deterioration in Aba, Governor Otti noted that the situation had contributed to the departure of businesses, loss of jobs and a decline in the city’s reputation as a regional centre of commerce and industry. He also linked the infrastructural challenges to rising criminal activities, including armed robbery and kidnapping.

The Governor said the reconstruction of the two roads would bring an end to about 25 years of hardship experienced by residents and businesses along the corridors. He expressed confidence in the contractor, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), to deliver quality work ahead of schedule.

He explained that the projects were being executed under the Abia State Integrated Infrastructure Development Programme (ABSIID), launched in July 2025, with the involvement of the state and Federal Governments, alongside development partners, including the African Development Bank, the Islamic Development Bank and the Canadian Climate Fund.

In his speech, the Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Chief Emmanuel Emeruwa, expressed delight at the pace of development in the state under Governor Otti, noting that the rehabilitation of the roads would give residents a new lease of life.

He observed that residents and businesses along Old Express and Uratta roads had endured untold hardship over the years due to the deplorable condition of the roads.

In his address, the Commissioner for Works, Mr Otumchere Oti, said the projects would improve connectivity, traffic flow and economic activities in the area.

He explained that Old Express Road would be reconstructed 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 in Aba to the Enugu–Port Harcourt Expressway.

In his remarks, the Project Coordinator of ABSIID, Dr Ndudim Ononiwu, commended Governor Otti for his commitment to providing infrastructure that would improve residents’ livelihoods.

He urged communities along the road corridors to sustain their cooperation with the contractor to ensure the successful execution of the projects.

Also speaking, the Chairman of Old Express, Uratta Road and Aba la Ohazu Indigenes, High Chief Isaac Emejuru, commended Governor Otti for initiating the projects after decades of neglect.

He noted that three successive governors had failed to rehabilitate the roads, expressing optimism that the Otti administration would deliver on its commitment to completing the projects.