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The Enugu State government has committed a whopping N183 billion to transform the state’s road network. The comprehensive project encompasses 141 roads in the urban center and 20 strategic rural routes, meticulously planned across the three senatorial zones.
This bold initiative promises to elevate the state’s infrastructure and stimulate economic development. The Enugu State Executive Council, led by Governor Peter Mbah, gathered at the Government House over the weekend, resulting in the disclosure of major approvals that will drive progress and growth in the state.
The weekend’s State Executive Council meeting, chaired by Governor Peter Mbah at the Government House, resulted in major approvals.
Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, Secretary to the State Government, briefed newsmen on the Exco meeting’s outcomes, emphasizing the projects’ alignment with Governor Mbah’s bold goals: a $30 billion economy, poverty eradication, and Enugu’s transformation into a premier hub for business, investment, tourism, and residence within four to eight years.
“Recall that before now, the state’s total budget hovered around N100 billion and N120 billion with capital expenditure of about N30 billion or capital expenditure to budget ratio of about 25 to 35 percent.
“However, in keeping with Governor Mbah’s promise to de-risk investments, boost production, and run a lean and prudent government, the governor proposed an unprecedented N521.5 billion 2024 budget with a capital expenditure totaling over N400 billion, which is an equivalent of capital expenditure to budget ratio of about 80 percent and recurrent expenditure ratio of about 20 percent.
“Accordingly, the theme that we took away from Exco today is doubling down. The government is doubling down on infrastructure. If you recall, we started with 71 urban roads and 10 rural roads, last year. Now, the governor and the Executive Council have also approved 141 urban roads and 20 rural roads.
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“It is noteworthy that although the rural roads are 20 in number, compared to 141 in Enugu metropolis, they are actually more, nearly three times those approved for Enugu urban in terms of kilometres.
“This is part of the strategies to improve the quality of life in the rural communities and importantly to de-risk investments in agriculture. Outside security, which we are effectively dealing with, the big elephant in the room is to scale up the production and movement of produce from farmlands to the market. We also understand the need for processing, hence the heavy investments in road infrastructure,” Prof. Onyia stated.
Giving a breakdown of the roads, the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Gerald Otiji, said the roads covered in this phase included the dualisation of the 41.3km Abakpa Nike-Opi-Nsukka Road with bridges, dualisation of Penocks Junction – Nike Lake Road to T-Junction Flyover, Nomeh-Mburubu-Nara Road with two bridges, Umabi-Ehuhe Achi with a spur to Agbudu-Ihe-Owelli-Ogugu by Enugu-Port Harcourt old road, Nomeh-Oduma Road, Mburubu-Nkereffi Road, and Amodu-Akpugo Road.
Also approved were Iheaka-Ibagwa Road, Ibagwa-Itchi-Unadu-Alor Agu-Ibeje Road, Amagunze-Ihuokpara-Ugbawka Road with a bridge, Obeleagu Umana (Nkwo Ezeagu)-Omughu Umana-Aguobu-Umumba Road, Nara-Nkerefi Road with a bridge, Amagunze-Akpawfu Raod, Amagu-Attakwu-Akegbe Ugwu-Akpasha Road, Obinagu Udi-Isu Awa Road, and Nsukka-Ibagwa-Ogurute-Ette Road.
The list of approved projects also features several critical road construction initiatives, including Obuofia-Obeagu-Akegbe Ugwu Road, Obinofia-Ndiagu-Ugwuoba Road adjacent to the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway, Orie Engine-Aguobu-Umumba-Ebenebe Road extending to the Anambra State border, Ituku Roads, Ozalla Roads, and more.
According to Otiji, the selection of 141 roads for construction and reconstruction was a thoughtful process, ensuring equitable distribution across all zones, including Emene, Thinkers Corner, Abakpa, Trans Ekulu/New GRA/Old GRA, Awkunanaw (Achara Layout/Uwani/Gariki), Independence Layout, Ogui/Asata, and Coal Camp, to guarantee comprehensive coverage.
