The peoples of Abia and Akwa Ibom states and indeed a lot of Nigerians have reacted with glee to a bold move by Senator Austin Akobundu of Abia Central Senatorial District today when he raised a motion in the senate on the “Need for Special Intervention by the Senate to urge the Federal Ministry of Works to expedite action and complete the rehabilitation of the Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene Federal Road to relieve the suffering of Nigerian Motorists and address insecurity in the area.”
This is in the wake of his Light Up up the Market project, in which he sponsored the encouragement of 24 hour marketing in his senetoral district by installing lights in four major market places in the place. This project which was welcomed with excitement and enthusiasm by citizens in the Abia Central District has added much needed gusto to the enterprenueral drive of the Abians there.
It will also be noted that the market project came in the wake of a wonderful youth empowerment program by same Senator Austin Akodundu in with which he is encouraging youths of his district to get off the street and become productive citizens of the land for the betterment of themselves and the society.
While moving the motion for the Senates intervention on works on the deplorable Umuahia Ikot Epkene road, Senator Akobundu acknowledged that “the Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene Road, a major link between Abia State and Akwa Ibom State through Ikwuano LGA, has been in a deplorable state of disrepair for over 30 years, and that despite efforts by successive governments at both federal and state levels to provide remedial interventions, the road has remained in poor condition for reasons that appear inexplicable.”
Akobundu who expressed worry that “Many dilapidated sections of the road have further deteriorated due to the rainy season, thereby rendering them impassable and creating significant hardship for motorists and traders commuting between Abia and Akwa Ibom States,” declared that the situation has left residents of Ikwuano LGA in despair. He further lamented that the issue had persisted despite it being raised during debates on the 2024 Appropriation Bill last year. He therefore drew the attention of the Federal Government to the economic consequences of the delay in completing the project on the people of Abia and Akwa Ibom States, and many others from Cross River, Onitsha and Lagos who use the route on a daily basis.
In response to this move, the Senate resolved to urge the Federal Ministry of Works to immediately release funds for the completion of the Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene Road during the current dry season and equally mandated the Senate Committee on Works to urgently investigate and unravel the causes of delays, and determine the extent of failure and report back to the Senate within two weeks for further legislative action.
The Scope News feels that this is a clarion call for all concerned and interested Abia citizens to join hands together and do all that is necessary to see this long standing infrastructural embarrassment resolved with alacrity.
That the Akwa Ibom end of this federal road which links two oil producing states has long been done is quite a cause for major annoyance and real embarassment to the highly industrial and business orientated very itinerant people Abia.
We say Kudos to Senator Austin Akobundu.

