The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Abia State, Njoku Ukoha, has defended the Abia State Government’s intervention on the long-delayed Umuahia–Ikot Ekpene Federal Road project, insisting that accurate information must prevail over what he described as misleading narratives surrounding the road’s reconstruction.
In a statement released in Umuahia on March 13, 2026, Ukoha addressed recent political claims regarding the project and reaffirmed the commitment of Governor Alex Otti to restore critical road infrastructure in the state. According to him, the controversy stems from misinformation circulated by political actors attempting to reinterpret the history and funding structure of the road project.
The 48.9-kilometre Umuahia–Ikwuano–Ikot Ekpene Federal Road, which links Umuahia in Abia State to Ikot Ekpene in Akwa Ibom State, has remained largely incomplete despite being awarded for reconstruction years ago. The road was initially handed over to the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) in 2016 for repairs and later awarded for full reconstruction in 2019 during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
The project was expected to be funded through the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Road Tax Credit Scheme. However, only about 13.7 kilometres of the road were reportedly completed over a seven-year period, leaving most sections in poor condition and causing significant hardship for commuters and businesses that rely on the route.
Ukoha explained that it was not until July 3, 2025, that the Federal Ministry of Works, under the leadership of David Umahi, granted approval for the Abia State Government to intervene and complete the remaining 35.1 kilometres of the road. The approval followed a request by Governor Otti, who sought permission to rehabilitate the road to ease transportation challenges and support economic activity in the region.
The intervention aligns with a directive by the Federal Executive Council under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that allows state governments to take over federal road projects within their territories. Under the policy framework, states may complete such projects and potentially recover their investment through tolling arrangements coordinated with the Federal Ministry of Works and the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission.
However, the Abia Government clarified that the approval granted by the Federal Government does not include any guarantee of reimbursement or financial refund to the state for executing the project. Ukoha emphasized that the arrangement explicitly allows states to recover costs through tolling if they choose, rather than through direct federal reimbursement.
According to him, Governor Otti’s administration decided to proceed with the reconstruction primarily to improve accessibility and stimulate economic growth in Abia, even without immediate plans to introduce toll gates on the road.
The statement also addressed other federal road projects handed over to the Abia State Government under the same framework.
These include the 31-kilometre Aba–Port Harcourt Expressway and the reconstruction and dualisation of the Owerrinta–Umuikaa and Onuimo–Tower roads. The government says these projects are part of a broader strategy to improve connectivity, attract investment, and support commerce across the state.
Ukoha further criticized attempts to circulate older correspondences between former Minister of Power, Works and Housing Babatunde Fashola and former House of Representatives member Sam Onuigbo relating to earlier stages of the project, arguing that those documents do not reflect the current approvals granted to the Abia State Government in 2025.
He insisted that Abia residents are aware of the difference between outdated documentation and the present agreement that allows the state to proceed with reconstruction of the federal road.
The statement also responded to claims regarding the reconstruction of the Omenuko Bridge and comments attributed to the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu. Ukoha maintained that certain assertions about federal funding for specific projects in the state were inaccurate.
Beyond the road debate, the governor’s spokesperson highlighted ongoing infrastructure and investment initiatives by the Otti administration, including the redevelopment of the Enyimba Hotel in Aba.
The project, which is being rebuilt in partnership with the global hospitality brand Radisson Blu, aims to transform the facility into a five-star hotel capable of boosting tourism and business activities in the commercial city.
According to the Abia State Government, the new arrangement gives the state an 80 percent equity stake in the project, while other stakeholders, including previous investors from Aba, retain the remaining shares.
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Ukoha concluded that the ongoing road reconstruction and hospitality investment projects demonstrate the administration’s commitment to development and economic transformation in Abia State.