Ebonyi state government, Wednesday, awarded the last phase of the Abakaliki ring road.
The state signed the agreement with two foreign companies; CGC and CCEC for the construction of the remaining 156km ring road, at the Governor’s office, Centenary City, Abakaliki the state capital.
The ring road cuts across 8 out of the 13 local government areas of Ebonyi state and it’s a total of 199km out which the state government completed 43km.
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 David 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 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 told the benefiting communities to provide local security which the Contractors would pay for to ensure the contractors were secured while doing their work.
Ebonyi state government, Wednesday, awarded the last phase of the Abakaliki ring road.
The state signed the agreement with two foreign companies; CGC and CCEC for the construction of the remaining 156km ring road, at the Governor’s office, Centenary City, Abakaliki the state capital.
The ring road cuts across 8 out of the 13 local government areas of Ebonyi state and it’s a total of 199km out which the state government completed 43km.
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 David 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 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 told the benefiting communities to provide local security which the Contractors would pay for to ensure the contractors were secured while doing their work.