According to the press release issued by Governor Umahi's Special Assistant on Media and Strategy, Chooks Oko, the commendation trailed the official inauguration of some completed sections of the 198 Km Abakaliki ring road Tuesday by the Governor.
The sections commissioned by the Governor are the 26.39 Km Nwezenyi - Ikwo road, 16.23 Km Nwofe - Ndoko road and the 17. 23 Km Ndoko - Akpata Umuakpu road cutting across Ikwo, Abakaliki, Izzi, Ebonyi and Ohaukwu Local government areas of the State.
Speaking at Nwezenyi, the starting point of the inauguration tour, Governor Umahi expressed gratitude to God for actualizing the ring road project despite initial hiccups and gang-ups against its commencement.
He described the road as an object of joy to him and a dream come true; the dream of putting joy in the lives of the Ebonyi people.
He appreciated the Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Barr. Chioma Nweze, the Engineers on site and the executing companies for their various contributions towards the realization of the project.
"Today is one of my happiest moments.
"Apart from supervision of these roads, when I passed through these roads during one of our commissioning tours, I was full of joy.
"Life is all about putting joy in the lives of others.
"So, when the people are happy, your prayers are accelerated unto God.
"This project was a tug of war; It was delayed for one year in the process of reaching an agreement with the funders and the companies over the material to be used.
"You know, the sons of the soil in these eight local governments took us to Court that this project should not happen.
"We eventually won the case, and that's why we were able to start the project.
"That is what bitterness could have cost us; so we are very grateful to God."
Some of the people who spoke during the events, including the Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Chioma Nweze, the Chairmen of Izzi and Ebonyi local government areas, and traditional rulers, among others, extolled the Governor for transforming Ebonyi State in its entirety.
They noted that the Governor by his infrastructural revolution and quality governance has lifted Ebonyi from its dungeon of shame and neglect to a place of national importance.
Nweze, who is also the secretary of the State Transition Committee, explained that the Governor, apart from pioneering the very effective concrete technology in road construction in Nigeria, has constructed a total of 956 Km of concrete roads across the state, touching all senatorial districts and sections.
"Your Excellency, as the secretary of the transition committee, we have gone around all the roads that are done with concrete.
"We have 526 Km of roads that have been completed on concrete in Ebonyi State.
"We have 236 Km of ongoing roads on concrete that would be completed before May, 29.
"Apart from that, we also have t98 Km of this road.
"So, your Excellency, the total roads completed on concrete as of today is 956 Kilometers.
"Your Excellency, you are the first Governor in Nigeria that started the construction of roads on concrete."
Nweze paid tribute to her deceased colleagues, late Commissioners for Infrastructure and Housing/Urban Development, Engineers Fidelis Nweze and Uchechi Okah respectively, for their great efforts in achieving the feat recorded in road infrastructure in the State.
