Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia says Faulks road will be ready in two months, as part of the government’s effort to boost economic activities in the state.
Ikpeazu made this known on Sunday during a Special Thanksgiving Service to mark the 31st anniversary of Abia, at the St Stephen’s Anglican Church, Umuahia.
The governor said that contrary to the opinion of some members of the public, the state government had not abandoned Faulks road.
He said that the state government had engaged contractors to deploy cement rigid technology in reconstructing the road to ensure that the road would last for 30 years.
Ikpeazu also said that the initial reconstruction work was done by his administration on Faulks road because of failure to listen to expert advise.
“The contractors, Setraco, who did the work are one of the best, but when they built that road they locked that road.
“They told me that because we are yet to place wearing cost and without this wearing cost the road will collapse.
“After the lockdown, everybody was worried about opening their shops after months, then leaders of Ariaria International Market and some traditional rulers came pleading with me to open the road to enable traders have access to their shops against experts’ advice.
“I resisted for a few months but I opened the road because a better part of my human kindness overtook me and the rest is history because as predicted the road collapsed,” he said.
Ikpeazu said that his administration had delivered more than 150 roads and was interested in building more roads to ease traffic around the state for enhanced economic activities in Abia.
He thanked God for the peace and stability in the state, adding that these were his prayer request to God on assumption of office as the governor of Abia.
In a sermon entitled, “Watchman over the land”, Rt Rev. Geoffrey Ibeabuchi, the Bishop of Anglican Diocese of Umuahia, said that God had given the citizenry the responsibility to keep watch over Abia.
Ibeabuchi said that it was pertinent for the people of Abia to keep watch over the state by promoting causes that would make a positive impact on the state.
“We need to rise up and take up the responsibility of keeping watch over our state, communities and families,” he added.