Contractors handling major road projects in Anambra State have returned to site to reconstruct failed sections of several highways after a directive from the state government, with the work slated to be completed before the upcoming Christmas season.
The reconstruction targets the Amawbia‑Agulu‑Ekwulobia‑Uga dual carriageway, the Agulu‑Nnewi dual carriageway and other key roads across the state, including portions that have not yet been officially commissioned.
Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure Okey Ezeobi attributed the failures to extreme rainfall and flash flooding rather than the use of substandard construction materials. He ordered contractors to carry out major reconstruction of the affected sections instead of temporary, spot repairs, echoing Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s emphasis on delivering quality infrastructure.
Within 12 hours of the directive, contractors mobilised to the sites. At the Amawbia end of the dual carriageway, asphalt on one lane was completely removed and sand‑filling work began. Similar activities were observed at the Neni section of the Agulu‑Nnewi road and along the Nnewi‑Ozubulu‑Okija dual carriageway, where officials from the Ministry of Works monitored progress over the weekend.
“Because of the quality of these contractors, they are able to return to site to effect reconstruction whenever there is any failure and they do this at no cost to the state. If we had given the contract to small companies, they won’t come back to address the failures. We took time to select all the contractors working for us,” Ezeobi said.
Ezeobi said the reconstruction will involve removing damaged asphalt and applying cement‑based stabilisation to curb underground water damage, particularly in flood‑prone sections such as the Amawbia‑Ekwulobia stretch. He assured that the rebuilt roads will undergo quality checks and be certified for public use before an official opening is announced.
<small>Source: Vanguard News — read the original story there.</small>
