Enugu State Governor, Barr Peter Mbah, has launched a significant infrastructure projects in the State.
This project consists of a 17km dual carriageway, feeder roads, a 40km Owo-Ubahu-Amankanu-Neke-Ikem dual carriageway, and the reconstruction of 71 urban roads in the Enugu capital city.
During the symbolic flag-off of the construction at the Premier Layout road project, awarded to IDC Construction Limited, Governor Mbah pledged that all 71 urban roads would be simultaneously completed and delivered by the end of December.
He emphasized that the first phase of 71 roads would be completed by December, with secured funding, strict quality standards, and adherence to timelines, adding that the roads would be designed with well-paved pedestrian paths, streetlights, and built to be long-lasting with no open drainage.
At the flag-off of the New Enugu City roads project, which sits on a 10,000 hectares of land off Enugu-Abakaliki Road and traverses Enugu East, Enugu North, Enugu South, and Nkanu West LGAs, Mbah reiterated his administration’s determination to restore Enugu to its number one position in Nigeria and beyond.
He said the project being handled by China Communication Construction Company, CCCC, would rub shoulders with any great city in the world, stressing that “we will have a functional New Enugu City between now and the next 24 months.
“We are here not only to witness the construction of a road, we are here to witness the construction of infrastructure. In this New City, we are going to have a dedicated power project, a central sewage system, high speed internet, and there is hardly anything you will find in any modern smart city that you will not find in this City”.
He said the first phase of the project would cover 26 square kilometres comprising the Happy Island, the Vitality Bay, and the Innovation Park in line with the purposes the New City is to serve.
Also flagging off the construction of the 40km Owo-Ubahu-Amankanu- Neke-Ikem dual carriageway, the Governor said the new government was bent on constructing at least 10,000km of roads in the next eight years to open the space for investors and make life better for Enugu people.
“This 40km dual carriageway road is going to be a major gateway to the North Central and it is going to open up our rural areas.
“Recall that we said we are going to unlock our rural economy and the best way to do that is to ensure that we have access roads to our farmlands and we will also create special economic zones in our rural areas. But we are not thinking about agriculture as food only, but also as export commodities,” he stated.
Mbah put at 400km the total length of roads flagged off for construction in the first phase of the government’s quest to build 10,000km of roads.
Speaking, the contractors, including the Deputy Managing Director of CCCC Nigeria, Henry Li, assured the government of first-rate projects and early competition.
“As the contractor entrusted with this significant undertaking, we recognise the responsibility that comes with it. We pledge our unwavering commitment to delivering the benchmark road on time and with the highest quality”, he stated.