‘Developing SME is our number one priority’
Focus of the present administration in Abia State is anchored on five pillars of development – agriculture, trade and commerce, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), education, and oil and gas.
However, SME is the government’s number one priority, because of its huge potentials, followed by agriculture and then trade and commerce, Okezie Ikpeazu, governor, Abia State, says.
Ikpeazu, in a media parley with Aba-based correspondents, at the Government Lodge, recently, observed that a well-developed SME sector had the capacity to employ people and take the youths out of the streets.
Consequently, the ongoing road constructions in the state, especially Aba, are aimed at aiding commerce. “For us to succeed in this plan, there is need therefore to do the roads around it, because it is the roads that will take personnel and goods from one place to the other, and the state government is working hard to open up the internal and intercity roads in the state.”
The Federal Government has promised to open up Aba-Ikot-Ekpene road, which has been in deplorable condition for some years now, he said, saying, “We are currently working on Aba-Owerri road and the minister of works, Babatunde Fashola, has promised that some sections of the Aba-Ikot Ekpene road, which has been in deplorable condition would be made accessible before the end of March, 2017.
“I accompanied the minister of works on tour of the road and they are doing some work on it and he promised that he would open it up between now and March from Opobo Road junction to Ohanze.”
The governor revealed that the state is also constructing a 7.4-kilometre road from Ururuka Road to Onitsha Ngwa section of Ikot-Ekpene road to boycott the bad section of the road, leading to Akwa-Ibom State.
“Despite the fact that it is still under construction that road will take you just 1hr-30 minutes to Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital. It is also faster to travel by that road. That road is my alternative to boycott the bad sections of Aba-Ikot-Ekpene road.
“And there is another road from Ekwerazu into Akwa-Ibom. But it is not a major highway, but it is a road that can get people from Akwa-Ibom into Obingwa and to Aba”.
Equally important to the state government is the Ohanku and Obohia roads, which according to the governor, featured prominently in his campaign. However, those roads are currently under contract by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the state cannot take over their rehabilitation without the consent of NDDC.
He appealed to residents of those areas to exercise patients, as his administration would do everything possible to ensure that the NDDC completes the project.
However, the state s ready to take over the road if the NDDC fails to rehabilitate it, as the road is important to the state and should not be abandoned for reasons that it is a federal road.
GODFREY OFURUM