The Federal Government has officially handed over the completion of several key federal road projects in Abia State to the state government, marking a new phase of collaboration aimed at accelerating road infrastructure delivery under the Renewed Hope agenda.
The handover, approved by President Bola Tinubu, was announced by the Minister of Works, David Umahi, during a civic reception in honour of Governor Alex Otti at the Enyimba International Stadium, Aba.
According to a statement issued on Sunday by the Director of Press and Public Relations in the Ministry of Works, Mohammed Ahmed, the transfer covers major roads including the Owerri–Umuaka Road, Onuigbo–Umuahia Road, Omezuo Bridge, and Umuahia–Ikot Ekpene Road, all vital routes within the South-East economic corridor.
Umahi said the initiative reflected President Tinubu’s approval for Abia State to oversee the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the affected projects based on a mutual understanding between both governments.
Commending Governor Otti’s leadership, the minister said: “I am happy that many of our governors are taking the bull by the horns. The roads had suffered years of neglect and funding challenges before this intervention.”
He urged Abia residents and the South-East region to continue supporting the Tinubu administration, noting that the zone had benefited from several ongoing federal projects and key appointments, including that of the Chief of Air Staff.
Governor Otti, in his remarks, expressed gratitude to the President for approving the collaboration, describing it as a pragmatic step toward improving the lives of Abia residents.
“This is not the first time Abia is intervening in federal projects. What matters most is that the roads get fixed and our people benefit,” Otti stated.
The partnership has drawn widespread commendation from stakeholders, who described it as a practical solution to accelerate infrastructure development, boost commerce, and promote regional integration between Abia and neighbouring states.
Earlier in the day, Umahi and Otti inspected ongoing works on the 56.1-kilometre Section II (Umuahia Tower–Aba) of the Enugu–Port Harcourt Expressway, being handled by Arab Contractors (Nig.) Limited. The minister directed the contractor to complete the remaining 4.1 kilometres within one month.
The team also inspected works on Section IV of the same expressway (Aba–Port Harcourt), being executed by CCECC (Nig.) Limited. Umahi revealed that, due to delays and poor performance, the contract had been partially reallocated to an indigenous company, Trucret (Nig.) Limited, under emergency repair terms.
The minister explained that the Enugu–Port Harcourt Expressway, awarded in 2017, is designed to become an eight-lane superhighway to enhance connectivity to key national assets such as seaports, refineries, and industrial hubs in the South-East and South-South regions.
Officials say the decision to allow state governments take over stalled federal projects marks a strategic shift in Nigeria’s infrastructure policy, enabling faster project completion through joint funding and execution.
