Enugu State Govt. approves N183 billion for road construction

The Enugu State Government has approved a substantial budget of N183 billion for the construction of an additional 141 roads in Enugu metropolis and 20 rural roads across the three Senatorial Districts.

The Enugu road construction was announced by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, during a press briefing following the State Executive Council meeting at the Government House in Enugu on Sunday.

Prof. Onyia revealed that the council also sanctioned the creation of 133 Smart Green Schools, adding to the 127 ongoing smart school projects, bringing the total to 260.

The Enugu road construction initiatives are part of Governor Peter Mbah’s strategic plan to expand the state’s economy from $4.4 billion to $30 billion.

“These measures are aimed at achieving a zero per cent poverty headcount index and positioning Enugu as the premier destination for business, investment, tourism, and quality living within four to eight years,” Onyia stated.

He highlighted the state’s significant budget increase, noting, “Historically, the state’s total budget ranged between N100 billion and N120 billion with capital expenditure around N30 billion.

In contrast, Governor Mbah’s 2024 budget proposal is an unprecedented N521.5 billion, with capital expenditure exceeding N400 billion. This marks a capital expenditure to budget ratio of approximately 80 per cent.”

The SSG emphasized the continuation of the road development projects initiated last year, which included 71 urban roads and 10 rural roads. “The governor and the Executive Council have now approved 141 urban roads and 20 rural roads,” he said.

These road projects are strategically aimed at improving the quality of life in rural communities and mitigating investment risks in agriculture.

“Beyond addressing security concerns, scaling up production and facilitating the movement of produce from farmlands to markets is crucial. Hence, the significant investment in road infrastructure,” Onyia added.

The Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Mr. Gerald Otiji, provided a detailed breakdown of the road projects in the new phase.

These include the dualisation of the 41.3km Abakpa Nike-Opi-Nsukka Road with bridges, dualisation of Penocks Junction-Nike Lake road to T-Junction Flyover, Nomeh-Mburubu-Nara Road with two bridges, and several others across the state.

Otiji assured that the selection of roads for construction and reconstruction was done with a deliberate effort to ensure all zones were adequately covered.