The Abia State Government says it has continued to strengthen road infrastructure through the engagement of 59 direct labour spread across the length and breadth of the state.
The Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, said out of the number, two direct labour works were recently completed, while 11 new projects were added into the maintenance basket of the ministry of works across the state.
He said the two completed direct labour works are the erosion control work at Ezi-Alayi in the Bende Local Government Area and the installation of reinforced concrete slabs over 120 open manholes and drains across Aba and Umuahia, while 23 road projects are presently on contract.
Kanu said the pace of work is gradually picking up again due to the improved weather conditions, adding that two newly completed contract roads, comprising the 12.6 kilometre Ohanze-Obete-Oberete-AKrika Ogbu Road and the 7 kilometer Bende -Idima Abam Road would be inaugurated soon.
He said the government has made the stealingof manhole covers in the state a criminal offence, warning that anyone caught removing manhole cover on drains across the state would be prosecuted.
“Let me reiterate that taking manhole covers in the state is a criminal offence. We have noticed that some scrupulous members of the public, no matter the efforts of the Works Ministry, keep removing these manholes”.
“In the process, offenders endanger the lives of members of the public by such acts. So offenders, as usual, will be prosecuted if arrested. Members of the public are also enjoined to be more vigilant with such government access of facilities around their places of residence.
“We also wish to ask members of the public to seek approval from the state Ministry of Works before the construction of special road bumps across our roads”, Kanu said.
The Commissioner for Works, Otumchere Oti, noted that the state government is handling 82 road projects, noting that more roads would soon be accommodated for reconstruction across the state.