…residents excited with progress of work
Notwithstanding the ceaseless downpour, especially in the southern parts of the country, construction work at the Port Harcourt Road, Aba project site is being sustained with leading engineering construction company, Julius Berger Nigeria PLC, pushing forward.
Though engineers at the site admitted that the rains are slowing down the pace of work, they said that notwithstanding, they are pushing on with the work, even as quality is being carefully and professionally monitored to ensure no compromise.
With a sizeable section of the road already completed, the ongoing effort by the entire project team is eliciting excitement from residents who have lauded Julius Berger’s diligence. Motorists are plying the completed area and conducting their businesses even with construction work ongoing on the other section of the road.
Speaking on the progress of the work so far on Thursday, Engr Kehinde Bakare, who stood in for the Project Manager, Engr Christian Kloepfel, said, “Chainage 5+620 where the work commenced to Chainage 0+00, and some parts have been completed. But if you go downward to roughly Chainage 3+870 or thereabouts, this will make it around 1.8 kilometres completed by now.
“So, from that Chainage which I mentioned now, 3+87 going downward, is where we are doing earth works and related works. As you can see now everything is clearly done and fixed in terms of what we are expected to do.”
Admitting the impact of the constant rain on the progress of the job, Engr. Bakare said, “The work is still ongoing because it is the season of rain, and we can’t stop it from failing. The contract is supposed to be for like one and a half years, but this is how far we have gone now. You can see that we have done a lot, and we are still progressing.
“We are still managing to do what we are expected to do, only that the pace of the work will not be as when we have dry season, but we are working.”
Some of the residents were excited about the project. One motorcyclist, Anthony Ibe, expressed his heartfelt gratitude to God and Julius Berger.
“I feel so excited about the road. I never imagined that I would be alive to see this road this way. I am so grateful to God. I am an engineer, I used to stay here a long time ago before the road got too bad, I had to abandon my workshop, abandon my job and went into keke driving, all because from that Uratta Junction you cannot access this place.
“As a family man it is not easy to relocate and get customers at the same time and take care of the family, so I had to go into keke driving. Just this year February I saw the seriousness of the job, I had to make arrangement to come back and I am back and I am working in my shop now. I am the happiest person to see this new road,” Ibe said.
Another resident, Okechukwu Onyeso, praised the state governor, Alex Otti, and Julius Berger for the quality of work being done.
A grocery shop operator in the completed portion of the road, Mrs. Chioma Akunwa, expressing happiness at the progress of the road, saying since the commencement of the road, her business has been moving more than it used to.
It would be recalled that Governor Otti flagged off the reconstruction of 6.8km-Port Harcourt Road in Aba on October 12, 2023 to enhance the economic prospects of the state.
Speaking during the occasion in Aba, Otti described the reconstruction of the road as another strategic step in fulfilling his desire to revive the long-abandoned economic activities in the area. The governor said that he was determined to ensure that on completion, the road would further drive the economic rejuvenation and transform Aba into investors’ haven as the entire stretch of Port Harcourt Road formed a major hub for the servicing of heavy-duty vehicles, equipment, spare parts, power generating sets and ancillary tools.
“For us, Port Harcourt Road, Aba, is not just any other project, it will be a testament of our willingness and determination to rebuild ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated’ as contained in Isaiah 61: 4,” he said.
