Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Friday inaugurated the 46.3-Kilometer Joe Irukwu Way, which traverses Umuahia North, Bende and Ohafia Local Government Areas of Abia State.

The road, formerly known as Umuahia–Uzuakoli–Ozuitem–Lohum–Nkpa–Umuimenyi–Isuikwuato–Alayi–Item–Igbere–Abiriba Road, was  renamed by the state Governor Alex Otti of Abia to Joe Irukwu Way.

The road was renamed in honour of a former President of Ohaneze Ndigbo and legendary Insurance guru, the late Joe Irukwu (SAN), who hailed from the state.

In a speech at the ceremony in Uzuakoli, Bende LGA, Mr Obasanjo commended the Abia Government for its commitment to infrastructure development and good governance, despite the country’s economic challenges.

The elder statesman said, “I travelled on this road to Abiriba myself and it was a hellish experience and I spent hours on the road. But when I was informed that the road you constructed could take me from Umuahia to Abiriba in just 45 minutes, I said to myself, this man, Alex Otti, is indeed a miracle worker.”

According to him, the road will contribute immensely to the socioeconomic development of the state and also boost productivity in the hinterland.

He said that leadership “should be about vision, contentment, and discipline and ensuring that all forms of corruption and wastage would not be allowed in that system.”

Mr Obasanjo, who commended Mr Otti for his leadership style, said that good leaders were rare and should be fully supported by the people while in office.

He also urged politicians to support any leader that upholds good governance in principle and practice, despite belonging to a different political party.

He said, “For me, a political party is just a platform, what matters most is the quality of the man, and in Dr Alex Otti, we have found a man of great quality. When the time comes for elections, my advice is simple: don’t change a winning horse.”

He further warned the people against the tendency to take good leadership for granted.

The former president, who pledged his continued support for the governor, urged him to stay focused on delivering the dividend of democracy to the people.

In an address, the governor described the project as a milestone in his government’s determination to do things differently and build infrastructure that lasts.

He also said that the remaining part of the road project, known as Section 3 – from Abiriba to Ohafia – being handled by a reputable construction company, was nearing completion.

Mr Otti said the newly rehabilitated road would not only shorten travel time and enhance security, but also reduce transportation cost for residents and businesses along the axis.

He said that with the improved road network, commuters and traders could now move freely at any hour without fear of harassment by criminals, who had previously exploited the bad condition of the road to rob and harm unsuspecting motorists and travellers.

In a speech, the lawmaker representing Abia South Senatorial District, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, said that the road would give a new lease of life to the citizens.

Mr Abaribe commended the government for its efforts in ensuring that the people of Abia continued to enjoy the dividend of democracy.

In separate speeches, the lawmaker representing Ikwuano/Umuahia Federal Constituency, Obi Aguocha, and the Chairman of Bende LGA, Uwabunkeonye Bassey, thanked the government for alleviating the sufferings of the people of the area.

They said that the road would boost agricultural productivity of the communities of the area, who are known for their agrarian exploits.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Works, Otumchere Oti, said that the project involved comprehensive repairs of failed sections of the road using a stone base and binder course.

Mr Oti said that some portions of the road were also reconstructed to improve vertical alignment and raise low-lying areas prone to flooding.

He stated that a 40-mm thick asphaltic concrete wearing course was laid on the entire carriageway and the road shoulders constructed with a 30-mm thick asphaltic concrete wearing course.

He said that other key components of the project included the construction of culverts and drainage systems, repair of washouts, slope protection works.

The commissioner also said that there would be the installation of solar-powered street lights in built-up areas, adding that road marking and other ancillary works were also part of the project.

He appealed to the communities along the road corridor to take ownership of the infrastructure by safeguarding it against unwholesome activities that might reduce its lifespan.

(NAN)