From Chuks Onuoha, Umuahia

Abia State government says that it has received $60 million (N21 billion) for the

execution of the World Bank-assisted Rural Access and Mobility Project

(RAMP) in the state.

Disclosing this during a one- day stakeholders workshop organized  by the state RAMP on “The prioritization of intervention areas and rural road links in Abia.” the governor, represented by the Commissioner for Finance, Mr Obinna Oriaku, said that the World Bank approved the facility for the construction of rural link roads across the state, as an intervention for the development of Abia.

Ikpeazu  urged the benefiting communities to cooperate with the contractors to ensure  quick completion of the project.

He advised  them not to make demand for “marching ground” (money demanded by community youths before allowing project development in their area) from the contractors, as the sponspors, the World Bank, was not ready to part with any money for such purpose.

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The state also got $56 million from Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP), according to Ikpeazu.

He disclosed  that already some erosion sites had started receiving attention from the NEWMAP facility.

The National Coordinator of RAMP, Mr Ubandoma Ularamu, said that 500 km length of roads, linking many rural communities, would be built across the state out of the targeted 900km roads.

Ularamu said the roads were selected because of their economic importance, saying that they led to markets, hospitals and cottage industries.

In an address of welcome, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Economic Development and Poverty Reduction, Very-Rev. Ernest Onyeukwu, said that the workshop was organized “to sensitize and mobilize all the stakeholders for a fruitfulness project execution and maintenance.

Onyeukwu, who commended RAMP and the state government for their initiative, appealed to the communities to make their contributions toward the realization of the project.