Senior Advocate of Nigeria Dr. Monday Onyekachi Ubani has described as a shameless attempt to rewrite history claims by the Federal Ministry of Works that the Umuahia/Ikwuano/Ikot Ekpene Road continues to be executed and funded by the Federal Government, accusing the ministry of waking up from years of slumber only after the Abia State Government stepped in to reconstruct the abandoned highway.
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Ubani, a legal practitioner from Ikwuano, Abia State, issued the statement in response to remarks attributed to one Mr. Chidi Uwaeziozi, identified as the Controller of Works for Abia State in the Federal Ministry of Works, who had asserted that the road project remained a federal intervention, apparently pushing back against the Abia State Government’s claim that it was undertaking a state-led intervention on the road.
Ubani traced the history of the project, noting that the contract for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the strategic road was awarded in 2019 during the administration of the late President Muhammadu Buhari. The road is a critical economic corridor linking Abia State with Akwa Ibom State and providing further access to Cross River State and other parts of the South-South region.
However, more than seven years after the contract was awarded, the Senior Advocate said there is little visible evidence of meaningful progress on the ground. He noted that apart from a limited stretch of construction around Ndioru, particularly the portion between Ndioru Market and Okwe, the road from Umuahia through Ikwuano toward Ikot Ekpene remains largely in a deplorable condition.
Ubani described a pattern of incomplete and poorly coordinated construction, with several portions of the road abandoned, worsening conditions for motorists and residents. He said the dangers associated with the road had led to tragic consequences, including the death of a young student some years ago.
The Senior Advocate said the suffering of the people eventually reached a breaking point, with residents, traditional rulers, community leaders, and concerned citizens consistently raising their voices about the unacceptable condition of the road.
He said it was this persistent outcry, particularly from the people of Ikwuano, that eventually attracted the attention of Governor Alex Otti, whom he described as a leader widely admired for his commitment to practical governance and infrastructure renewal.
According to Ubani, the Abia State Government took decisive steps by engaging the Federal Government and reaching an understanding that the state would intervene to reconstruct the road using a more competent and credible construction company. He said the announcement of this intervention rekindled hope among thousands of commuters and residents who had endured years of neglect and broken promises.
Ubani expressed frustration that just as the Abia State Government stepped forward to address the situation, the Federal Ministry of Works suddenly announced that it was continuing work on the same project.
“It is difficult for the people to understand how a project that has lingered for nearly a decade with minimal progress can suddenly be presented as an active federal intervention,” Ubani stated.
He said the sudden awakening naturally raises questions about accountability and the efficient management of public resources, adding that such explanations understandably provoke frustration among communities that have borne the consequences of administrative inertia for years.
The Senior Advocate called on all parties to prioritize the completion of the road rather than engage in jurisdictional rivalry. He warned that any attempt to frustrate genuine efforts to restore the road would naturally be resisted by citizens, especially the people of Ikwuano who have suffered long enough.
“The call from the people is therefore simple: let the road be completed without further delay,” Ubani declared.
He urged Nigeria to move beyond a culture where public infrastructure projects are endlessly delayed while citizens suffer the consequences, insisting that road construction contracts should not become symbols of bureaucratic stagnation or political contestation but should instead reflect government’s commitment to service, transparency, and timely delivery.
Ubani expressed strong support for Governor Otti’s approach to infrastructure, describing him as “the man who sees road” who has already demonstrated through several initiatives that decisive leadership can produce tangible results.
He called on all sincere stakeholders to support the state government’s progress rather than obstruct it, expressing hope that the present momentum in Abia State would not be distracted by political maneuvering or what he described as useless bureaucratic obstacles.
“History often remembers leaders not merely for their promises, but for the roads they built, both literally and metaphorically. For the people of Umuahia, Ikwuano, and Ikot Ekpene, the completion of this road will be more than an infrastructure project. It will represent the long-awaited restoration of dignity, opportunity, and hope,” Ubani concluded.
The Abia State Government had earlier addressed and refuted the claims made by the Federal Ministry of Works regarding the road project. The Federal Ministry has not issued any further response as of the time of this report.
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