African Development Bank (AfDB) has given a final approval for the release of $115 million dollars loan to Abia State for the road construction, erosion control and solid waste management. The loan when released to Abia State government would be used to carry out projects in Aba, Umuahia and some other towns. The $115 million dollars is part of a 2 AfDB funding secured for Abia State by the former Governor of the State, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu.
However, the loan could not mature before the exit of Ikpeazu. Chief Press Secretary to the former Governor, Barr Onyebuchi Ememanka while speaking on behalf of Ikpeazu in a press statement, said the Governor was delighted to understand that the fund has scaled the final hurdle of approval. Ikpeazu who in the statement said the loan was initiated and pursued by officials of his administration for the development of the State. A total of 248.46 km of roads would be done in the project, which includes 190.43 km road in Aba and 58.03km of road in Umuahia. Control of erosion and solid waste management would also be executed with the funds. Ikpeazu who extolled the roles of some persons in his administration like Bob Ogu, Ikechi Mgbeoji, Obinna Oriaku, Aham Ukoh among others in initiation and actualization of the loan, said his government even started road and drainage construction at Port Harcourt road even when the money had not been recieved. He lambasted some unpatriotic politicians and other individuals in the State whom he accused of trying to scuttle the loan, for selfish interests. “I must add that while working towards this loan, we faced several hurdles set up by some politicians in Abia State, some of whom wrote letters to the National Assembly asking them not to approve the loan. “Ironically, some of these people are the ones in government today are who will superintendent over the management of the project they desperately sought to frustrate”, Ikpeazu said. He made it clear that he was not worried that the loan did not come when he was still the Governor, saying that the funds should be utilized for the good of Abia people. “That the final approval for loan came one month after I left office is immaterial. The ball is now in the Court of the present administration” Ikpeazu further said. It would be recalled that the AfDB loan was one of the subjects of clash between the present administration of Governor Alex Otti and immediate past government of Okezie Ikpeazu.
