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Governor David Umahi has set to commission the 500-metre-long Iyere flyover in Afikpo South Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
He made this known while speaking with newsmen after inspecting the flyover built on very difficult terrain in the area.
The Governor's Special Assistant on Media and Strategy, Chooks Oko said he expressed joy at the speed and quality of work on the project.
He announced that the flyover would be completed and put to use within the next thirty days.
Governor Umahi who said his administration was more concerned about building for the people rather than the ceremony of commissioning, expressed optimism that economic activities would peak within Ebonyi and neighbouring States when the project is completed.
His words: "I am very excited, that is why I am standing on this bridge to thank God very seriously.
"When we embarked on the conceptualization, no one in Ebonyi State believed in it, a lot of lives were lost on yearly basis because of that and again economic activities were hampered because no truck of ten tonnes can climb this 47 per cent slope of the hill.
"If you recall under Dr Sam Egwu, four expatriates in the past were given the project and they all ran away, so I was able to construct the project but I did not finish it but when Chief Elechi came, he was very interested and we completed the project but without stone base and the road was still standing, fortunately, I came and God brought me to finish what I started, so we started to put concrete on top of the asphalt we laid from Amasiri down to Nguzu, I think it is about 200 metres and the road will be completed.
"This project can compare with the second Niger Bridge, I am not boasting but if you go down you will see the arrangements and then you go and compare it with the second Niger Bridge and remember it was done by the Ministry of Works under direct Labour and I can tell you that this project did not cost up to four billion nairas, we are still going to beautify it to have the reflection of what we do.
"For me, the most important thing is not to commission the project but to complete the project and deploy it for people to use but if Mr President has time, we will love him to come and see this, see the terrain, see the beauty and see the conceptualization, see engineering at work and I am sure he will be very happy as well.
"This bridge remained a nightmare and that is why we have done this and reduced the slope from forty-seven per cents to between six to seven per cents and so, in the next thirty days, this place will be open for people to start to use it."
