From Kenneth Udeh, Abuja
Prominent stakeholders in Abia have called on the Governor of Abia state, Dr Alex Otti to expand roads Dr Orji Uzor Kalu built in Aba while he reigned as Abia governor between 1999-2007
A notable community leader in Obingwa, Chief Samuel Okorie while speaking to newsmen on Easter Saturday lamented that the neglect of the ring roads in Aba which Kalu built between 1999–2007 contributed to the poor outlook of Aba
He decried that after Kalu left as governor, his successors neither invested in new roads nor maintained the ones they met on the ground.
“That’s why we will no longer keep mute and watch other roads go bad. We are calling on the governor to consider revisiting all those roads that were built but abandoned. All the linking roads like Obu Ohia , Ohanku , Asa triangle which were built by Orji Kalu should be considered for expansion. Government is a continuity and for us to enjoy Aba again, there should be rehabilitation and expansion.” He said
For his part, the President of Abia Renaissance Forum, Dr Ogwo Sylvester Ogwo has also appealed to Otti to expand more roads in Aba for easy access. He said the government needed to find ways to expand and rehabilitate access roads
According to Ogwo, “ It is pertinent to acknowledge that the government has embarked upon strategies towards improving transport and businesses in Aba
“This is particularly in the area of access roads which are key to whatever we will do in Aba. Equally, what is important is for some existing roads to be expanded. Some of these roads were built over 20 years ago when Orji Uzor Kalu was Governor.
“You will agree with me that the vehicular traffic situations and bad roads we have around Aba have been a major challenge for business growth.
“ The concern is do we have room for further expansion of roads in Aba? The road is getting choked up and saturated. We need to find other ways to have a smooth flow of traffic in and out of Aba “ He said
In a similar light, a former Transition Committee Chairman of Isiala-Ngwa North local government, Barrister Chuks Okoroafor called on the governor to bury the idea of building new hospitals
He advised the governor to rehabilitate and expand 17 hospitals former Governor Orji Kalu built across the 17 local governments rather than building new hospitals at a very expensive cost.