The Anambra State Commissioner for Works, Architect Okey Ezeobi, has dismissed criticisms of road construction projects across the state as politically motivated, insisting that Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s administration engages reputable contractors capable of delivering quality infrastructure.
Ezeobi stated this in an exclusive interview at his office in Awka, where he also dismissed allegations by some online content creators that the state government awards road contracts to incompetent contractors, resulting in poor-quality roads.
He maintained that the government engages A-list contractors who, according to him, are obligated to return and rectify any defects identified in roads they have constructed.
The commissioner specifically disclosed that failed sections of the Nwagu-Agulu-Nnewi Road would be reconstructed, explaining that the damage recorded on some roads was largely caused by unusual rainfall and underground water saturation rather than poor construction.
He said the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) had earlier warned of increased rainfall and flash floods, but the intensity of the rainfall experienced this year exceeded the state government’s expectations.
According to him, accumulated water had penetrated the soil, creating underground water pressure that was affecting road infrastructure, particularly in flood-prone areas.
Ezeobi explained that the government was commencing the reconstruction of affected roads through a process involving the removal of damaged asphalt, treatment of the underlying soil to withstand underground water pressure, and cement-stone stabilisation before the asphalt was relaid.
He added that the contractors who originally handled the projects would carry out the reconstruction at no additional cost to the state government before handing the roads back to the government.
The commissioner disclosed that the Soludo administration had so far asphalted 742 kilometres of roads and awarded 143 road contracts across Anambra State.
He said the combined length of all failed road sections was less than five kilometres, arguing that it was misleading to portray the state’s entire road infrastructure as a failure.
While reaffirming Governor Soludo’s commitment to his promise that roads constructed under his administration would last for 20 years, Ezeobi urged residents to adopt practices that would help protect public infrastructure.
He identified indiscriminate dumping of refuse in drainage channels, construction on drainage channels, blocking of drainages to harvest sand and the use of overloaded heavy-duty trucks as some of the factors contributing to road deterioration.
He also expressed concern over the increasing practice of interlocking entire compound spaces, leaving little room for water to seep into the soil and causing excess water to flow onto public roads.
“Such practices increase water flow on roads and gradually destroy the asphalt. Residents must complement government investments by protecting the environment,” he said.
On the administration’s broader infrastructure vision, Ezeobi said the government had identified Awka, Onitsha, Nnewi and Ekwulobia as four major urban centres for development and connection through dual carriageways.
He said the initiative was aimed at improving connectivity across the state, adding that the extensive road infrastructure programme had reduced commuting time by about 15 per cent.
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The commissioner maintained that the infrastructure being provided by the Soludo administration was designed to position Anambra for the next 70 years.
He disclosed that the Ministry of Works, in partnership with the Anambra State ICT Agency, had launched an online platform where residents could submit observations on road projects in their localities. He urged the public to refrain from sharing unverified information on social media.
On federal infrastructure projects in the South-East, Ezeobi described the Federal Government’s presence in the region, particularly Anambra, as unprecedented, attributing it to the cordial relationship between the state government and President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
He argued that the Tinubu administration had done for the South-East what previous presidents had failed to accomplish.
Ezeobi disclosed that plans were underway to dualise the Otuocha-Abaji Road in Kogi State, which he said would reduce travel time between Anambra and Abuja to about six hours.
He also revealed that President Tinubu had approved the construction of pedestrian flyovers across the expressway at Regina Caeli Junction and in front of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University gate in Awka.
The commissioner subsequently called on South-East residents to support President Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections, arguing that the level of federal infrastructure investment in the region should be a major consideration for voters.
He urged residents to set aside emotions and objectively assess the developmental benefits of the Federal Government’s interventions when making their political choices in 2027.
