Ugwuanyi vows to develop rural communities

GOVERNOR  Ifeanyi  Ugwuanyi of Enugu State  has taken steps to create more satellite towns in the state with a view to bringing development  to rural communities.

To this end, the state executive council has approved the re-awarding of the contract for construction and completion of the vital New Market-Milliken Hill -Ngwo -Ninth Mile Corner Road, Enugu to two  new contractors. It had earlier, in 2013, been contracted to CGC Nigeria Limited.

While the facility on completion would open up and activate more economic activities along that axis, the council’s decision to also approve the construction work and installation of solar street light at Mgbowo junction in Awgu, along the Enugu- Port Harcourt expressway is also aimed at creating a viable satellite town within the rural area.

The State Commissioner for Information,, Dr. Godwin Udeuhele, who briefed newsmen after the council’s meeting presided over by Governor  Ugwuanyi, said the completion of the Milliken Hill road would cost over N1.8billion just as the Mgbowo project is billed to consume N357.844million.

According to the commissioner,  the New Market-Milliken Hill -Ngwo -Ninth Mile Corner road, Enugu was earlier contracted to CGC Nigeria Limited but would now be shared between Amitec Construction and Development Ltd and Servrrio Global Ltd at the total cost of One billion, eight hundred and forty-two million, one hundred and four thousand, eight hundred and thirty-five  naira ninety-seven kobo for quick completion of the project.

“Decades ago, this road was built by the colonial masters but it has for years now remained in a deplorable condition prompting the immediate past administration to begin its rehabilitation since the road serves as a vital link from Enugu urban to 9th Mile Corner axis”, the commissioner noted.

He pointed out that the decisions  to rehabilitate the Milliken Hill road and enliven the Mgbowo Junction popularly called Aki na Ukwa junction by installing the solar lights there were in line with Governor Ugwuanyi’s vision of decongesting the Enugu metropolis.

Explaining decision to re-award the road project to new firms approved by the council, Dr Udeuhele stated that the job was awarded to the former contractor on 6th November, 2013 at the cost of two billion, four hundred and seventy-five million, four hundred and fifty-seven thousand, three hundred and fourteen naira, thirty-three kobo only, during which the said contractor was mobilised with the sum of seven hundred and forty-two million, six hundred and thirty seven thousand, one hundred and ninety-four naira, thirty kobo only.

However, he said “regrettably by November 2014 that contractor abandoned the site,” necessitating the present administration of Governor Ugwuanyi to invite the contractor for a meeting on 25th April, 2017 where the contractor asked for a variation of over N2.7 billion naira.

The government, however, decided to award the contract to the  two new contractors at the same amount for which it was awarded in  2013.

On the contract for upgrading Mgbowo to a satellite town, Dr. Udeuhele told journalists that exco approved the construction work and installation of the traffic solar street light to Bambo Nigeria Ltd.

He further stated that the decisions  were also taken based on the current administration’s zeal in decongesting Enugu metropolis, adding that Mgbowo was one of the proposed satellite towns.

The commissioner also stated that the executive council approved to allocate the land behind the Nigeria Police Station (MTD) Akwuke/Gariki, Enugu, measuring 7.655 hectares originally granted to Trans Globin Nigeria Ltd for the purpose of the mono rail projects to Enugu State Housing Development Cooperation for the purpose of development of a medium density housing estate for the people.