Gov. Otti Flags Off Construction Of Six-Lane 3.5Km Ossah-Okpara Square Road In Umuahia

• Govt. Insists Compensation Paid, Asks Beneficiaries To Check Bank Details

Abia State Governor, Alex Otti has officially fagged-off the construction of the six-lane, 3.5-kilometer Ossah-Okpara Square Road, a vital artery into Umuahia, the state capital.

Governor Otti indicated during the flag-off ceremony at the Okpara Square end of the road that the restoration and expansion project will be extended to Onuimo, near the Imo River, which serves as a border between Imo and Abia.

The Governor pledged that the road project would have a standard drainage system, street lights, and pedestrian walkways.

He stated that the decision to widen the road to six lanes was motivated by the need to unlock Umuahia’s economic potential and expose the city to more business opportunities.

The Governor announced that his administration has commenced payment of compensation to owners of the 130 structures marked for demolition. He asked those yet to receive theirs to exercise patience as the delay could be from their financial institutions, insisting that all the money meant for compensation had been provided.

According to the Governor, who said the government feels the pains of the people; he decided to delay the flag-off to allow for compensation to be released to owners of affected structures.

He assured that the contractor, Craneburg Construction Company, being a reputable firm will deliver a quality road network with a standard drainage system and solar-powered street lights.

The Governor further informed that a similar project would be done on the Imo River-Umuikaa-Obikabia-Umuene-Ukaegbu Road to Ikot Ekpene Road in Aba, as an alternative corridor into Akwa Ibom State, to decongest Aba, the commercial nerve centre of Abia.

The Commissioner for Works, Don Otumchere Oti, disclosed that the six-lane road will stand the taste of time when fully completed.

He further said that the road would unlock the economic potential of Umuahia and thanked the residents of the area for their cooperation.

In attendance at the event were the Deputy Governor, Ikechukwu Emetu; the deputy speaker Rt Hon. Austin Nmeregini; members of the State Executive Council; President, Vision Africa Radio, Bishop Sunday Onuoha; Traditional Rulers of Ossah-Ibeku and others who witnessed the road flag off.

Meanwhile, Abia State Government insists it has commenced the payment of compensation to owners of the 130 structures marked for demolition to make way for the six-lane 3.5 kilometres Ossah-Okpara Square Road in Umuahia.

This is contrary to insinuations in some quarters that the government was yet to make available funds for the exercise.

The Accountant General of the state, Njum Onyemenam, who disclosed this to journalists in her office on Thursday, said that claimants who provided their correct account details have already received payments.

“We have gotten confirmations that claimants have already started receiving their monies that is the position right now. Claimants who have provided us with their current bank details have received their payments,” Onyemenam said.

She advised claimants who have accounts with the old Diamond Bank and may not have received their monies to get alternative Access Bank account numbers to enable them to receive payments.

“Those that are banking with the old Diamond Bank account should meet their banks to collect the alternate Access account bank number as the old Diamond Bank is not compliant with our payment platform,” the AG stated.

She however noted that many claimants have not provided their data, and revealed that as soon as they come up with their correct details, they will be paid.

Onyemenam added that her office is still collating data of all claimants and would finish payments when the details of the last claimant are collated.

The Accountant General pointed out that the government wants to avoid a situation where monies are paid to the wrong persons, who may not remit the same to other affected individuals.

She advised those who are yet to receive payments to reach out to Umuahia Capital Development Authority (UCDA), whose duty, she said, is to send their details to the AG’s office.

On the issue of salary payment of public workers, the AG stated that her office had already commenced the disbursement of September salaries in line with the promise of the Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, to pay workers’ salaries on or before the 28th of every month, adding that those who had missed previous payments would be accommodated in the September salaries.

While noting that pensioners are the priorities of the state government, the Accountant General said though there would be a verification exercise for pensioners, it, however, would be conducted in an atmosphere free of stress as the government is putting in place necessary arrangements to take the exercise closer to the elderly citizens.