The Abia state Governor Dr. Okezie Victor Ikpeazu has alleged that there is a deliberate plan and conspiracy by some forces within the federal Government of Nigeria to stifle the good people of Abia state and their economy, just as he assured that the controversial Ossisioma Fly Over and all other ongoing projects will be completed and delivered before the end of his administration.

Governor Ikpeazu spoke at an interactive session with a selected journalists amidst wide spread criticism by a section of Abia about the dilapidated state of some roads in the state especially in ABA.

While most of his colleagues have received and have continued to receive several billions of Naira in refund for their interventions on federal roads in their states, Abia state under his watch has not received a kobo despite his administration obvious intervention on many federal roads in the state.

“For the sake of the interest of our people, we have intervened on many federal roads in Abia since 2015 to make business activities easy and also to improve the lot of our people. But sadly, enough we have not been receiving the needed encouragement from the government at center like most other states. I have not received any refund from the federal government for jobs done on federal roads since the life of my administration. This development has been a serious setback to the state in that the federal government will neither step in to do these roads itself nor encourage us to do them. This has resulted in to serious impediment for our people as well as the economic activities of the state. I want to believe that there is a deliberate conspiracy against Abia state by the federal government of Nigeria” Ikpeazu stated.

The governor also lamented that in some cases some forces within the federal authorities have frustrated moves made to fix some roads considered to be pivotal to the economic growth of the state  “You see in the case of Ekeakpara Road in ABA, it is a fact that we had fully mobilized contractors to the road, when suddenly some forces stepped in to stop work claiming that being a federal, the federal government was going to rehabilitate it. That is why that road is still in such a bad state. They have not done that road and they have refused to allow us to do it” Ikpeazu added.

However, despite all odds the Governor assured that all projects commenced by his administration will be delivered before his administration winds down. According to him, such projects like the Ossisioma Fly Over , Port Harcourt road, Ohanku, Umueze-ABSUTH roads and others will be given a priority attention this coming dry season with a view to completing them .“we are aware of the importance of these projects to the well-being of the people and their economic activities. However , owing to the topography of some areas in the state especially Aba, meaningful work cannot be carried on most of the projects during rainy season. In this case it is the resolve of my administration to make maximum use of the coming dry season and ensure that all projects so far initiated by this administration are completed in the interest of our people.” Ikpeazu further stated.

He therefore enjoined the good people of the state to pray for, and be patient with his administration as it is the honest intentions of the government to do all within its ability to better the lots of its citizens.

He blamed the seemingly slow pace in delivering on some of his administration’s lofty plans for the people on paucity of funds. “We have noble intentions as a government ,but the limited resources available has been a major constraint and that being the case we have to operate within the scope of the limited resources at our disposal while also ensuring that we deliver the dividend of  democracy to the people.” Ikpeazu added.

Ikpeazu’s assurances to deliver the Ossisioma Fly Over alongside other projects before leaving office in 2023 ,may have finally laid to rest insinuations making the rounds that federal authorities have stopped the project for alleged poor quality.