Soludo has awarded 908km of roads since 2022 — Commissioner

…Ezeobi says 442km asphalted, less than 5km affected by failures

By Vincent Ujumadu

The Anambra State Government has awarded contracts for the construction of 908.44 kilometres of roads across the state since Governor Chukwuma Soludo assumed office in 2022, the Commissioner for Works, Architect Okey Ezeobi, has said.

Ezeobi, who disclosed this while addressing journalists in Awka, said 442 kilometres of the roads had been fully asphalted, describing the administration’s road construction programme as unprecedented in the state’s history.

He claimed that the combined road construction achievements of the three previous governors fell short of the number of kilometres asphalted by the Soludo administration.

According to him, the government has awarded 143 road contracts since taking office.

Addressing complaints on social media about the condition of some roads constructed by the administration, the commissioner said the affected portions amounted to less than five kilometres out of the 442 kilometres asphalted.

“Of all the 442 kilometres of road we have asphalted, if you cut the portions that failed as a result of the effects of underground water, they are not up to five kilometres. That means that we have over 95 per cent of all the roads constructed by this administration in perfect condition,” he said.

Ezeobi attributed some of the reported road failures to underground water, unusually heavy rainfall and blocked drainage channels, insisting that the government was addressing the affected sections.

He alleged that some residents deliberately blocked drainage channels to allow sand to accumulate for harvesting and commercial sale, thereby worsening flooding and damaging public infrastructure.

The commissioner explained that some roads remained in good condition until the recent heavy rainy season, which he said exposed the effects of underground water that had not been adequately captured in the initial construction data.

“Many of the roads were designed and built and they never became bad until this year’s heavy rainy season. It’s the underground water that is the cause of the road damage, as the data we used did not capture the volume of the underground water,” he said.

He added that the effects of underground water were also visible in residential buildings, where ground-floor surfaces were reportedly peeling.

On allegations of poor construction standards and the engagement of unqualified contractors, Ezeobi maintained that the government had carefully selected reputable construction firms to handle its projects.

He described the contractors as A-rated companies, saying they had the capacity to return to sites and carry out reconstruction whenever defects occurred.

According to him, the affected contractors were undertaking the repairs at no additional cost to the state government.

He, however, acknowledged that human errors could not be completely ruled out as a possible cause of some road failures.

The commissioner cited the Amawbia-Ekwulobia dual carriageway as one of the roads facing challenges because of erosion-prone sections and swampy areas where underground water frequently rises.

He said the volume of rainfall recorded this year was unprecedented in the past 50 years, adding that floodwater had seeped underground and affected road infrastructure, including some Federal Government projects.

Ezeobi disclosed that the government planned to remove damaged asphalt in affected areas and undertake cement-based stabilisation to prevent further damage from underground water.

He said the process would begin after the underground water had sufficiently drained, after which the stabilised sections would be allowed to set before fresh asphalt was applied.

The commissioner assured residents that the government remained committed to delivering quality roads, adding that the ongoing reconstruction was deliberate and would not attract additional costs to the state.

He dismissed some social media criticisms of the state’s road projects as politically motivated, arguing that the comments did not reflect the actual situation on the ground.

Ezeobi said the government would formally announce the completion and certification of the affected roads before their official reopening to motorists.

He added that the administration was working to ensure that roads across the state were motorable before the Christmas season.