Abia govt. commences rural road maintenance

By Ihechinyere Chigemeri-Uwom
Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia has presented six caterpillars to the Abia State Road Management Agency (ABROMA) for the commencement of rural roads maintenance programme in the state.

Speaking during the presentation in Umuahia, Ikpeazu said that the programme would support the state government’s road construction effort.

The Governor said: ”We want to focus on rural roads starting from Abia North to Abia Central and then Abia South, and we want the agency to do top quality work with the equipment.

“We are trying to ensure that roads have good drainages, are well graded and compacted so that we will just apply asphalt on them.

“So you must be able to grade the roads to the standard that our people will not just enjoy, but will stand the test of time till we are able to apply asphalt on it.”

He charged the agency to exercise utmost discretion in handling the equipment and ensure that the purpose for securing the equipment was achieved.

Ikpeazu added that the operation of ABROMA was key to providing good rural roads in order to boost economic activities in the state.

Responding, Mr Okali Okochi, the General Manager of ABROMA, expressed delight over the procurement of the equipment, adding that it would facilitate the transformation of the roads.

Okochi said that the agency would live up to expectation and ensure that the purpose for initiating the programme was achieved.