From Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
As the Imo State Government is set to welcome President Muhammadu Buhari to commission the Okigwe/Orlu and Orlu/Owerri roads, it has also revealed further plans by the governor, Hope Uzodinma led administration to embark on more road projects and flyover to decongest traffic and facilitate easy movement of vehicles.
The State commissioner for Works and Housing,Ralph Nwosu disclosed this while briefing newsmen on some of the achievements of the State governor since he assumed office.
Highlighting on some of the roads,Nwosu said “The Orlu/Owerri and Okigwe/Owerri roads are the signature projects of this administration ,Orlu to Uga road we have done over 90 percent ,we tend to complete it before the president comes to commission it ,they are working day and night,as we speak.
“They are asphalting from Warehouse to Akpakuma ,once that is done the Njaba bridge,Okwudo by Njaba already being tackled would get attention and on Okigwe /Owerri road,we are commissioning in phases.
“We have commissioned the first phase from Ugah road from the flyover at Orji to Amaraku,that’s the first phase,the second phase have continued up to Okigwe roundabout , they’re still working,commissioning does not mean that we have stopped ,we have crossed Okwele,expanding the road ,trying to do flood control, in the coming week ,that one would also be history ,we’re not sparing anything.
“We’re also putting up road furniture on that road ,we’re making it a standard road,so that in the next 15 to 30 years, nobody talks about construction of road and the good thing is that we are looking at the interconnectivity of the roads ,we connected so many local government from the angle of the road ,we have also done so many other roads in the town,the Aladinma ,Hospital road, Emmanuel College roads.
“But I must tell you it’s not easy constructing these roads in the town ,but we’re doing them,all is aimed at turning Imo to one city State.”
The commissioner speaking on how the State government was able to tackle the flooding of the major roads in the State whenever it rains, said “Before we started,we looked at what people did in the past and also commissioned our experts to study the flood situation in Owerri ,that informed the first Balloon Technology that that we did from Dick Tiger.
“We are doing another under ground tunnel,it will discharge at Nworie ,it is almost 70 percent done. Although the rain has slowed us do ,we are going to have flyovers at the Asumpta road, that one is at the pipeline now,we have small issues we want to resolve,once it’s done we go ahead with it.” Nwosu explained.
Besides constructing roads in the urban areas of the State, the governor’s aide also informed that rural road projects is ongoing simultaneously .
“We’re already doing that,we have five per local government areas ,2 kilometres have been awarded and in some areas work have started,those that have not started are still proposing their papers,apart from that the RAMP programme is ongoing.” Nwosu said.