The Governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu has reckoned that his administration has built at least 150 roads in the state in seven years to improve the state’s socioeconomic development.
Ikpeazu laid the claim in Umuahia today while making a state broadcast to commemorate the 31st anniversary of Abia. The military administration of retired Gen. Ibrahim Babangida had formed Abia State on Aug. 27, 1991. The governor has tagged the road projects as constructions that would testify to the work of his administration adding that the erected roads would aid in stemming the rural-urban drifts in the state.
Currently, in the State, about 48 road projects are still ongoing and concerted efforts are being made to finish them up before May 29, 2023. Also, according to the governor, the state government had created a long-term development plan and industrial policy as part of efforts to improve the sustainable development of Abia.
Programs had been introduced which improved primary school enrolment from an initial 150,000 in 2015 to around 700,000 in 2022. However, Ikpeazu’s government has not been faced with its challenges. In security areas and workers’ payroll management, wage bill, pensions, and others, efforts are being made to tackle the current issues.
Finally, while addressing the Abia state indigenes, Ikpeazu called for the support and cooperation of the people to promote the state as an investors’ haven in the future.