Debate Intensifies Over Credit for Reconstruction of Umuahia–Ikot Ekpene Highway

A political disagreement has emerged in Abia State following remarks by the state publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Uche Aguoru, regarding the ongoing reconstruction of the Umuahia–Ikwuano–Ikot Ekpene Road. The comments, which were intended to challenge the role of the state government in the project, have sparked renewed debate over who deserves credit for the road’s development.

The controversy intensified after documents reportedly issued by the Federal Ministry of Works indicated that the Federal Government had invited the Abia State Government to participate in completing the remaining sections of the road. According to the correspondence dated July 3, 2025, the federal authorities requested the state’s intervention to help accelerate work on the project, which had experienced slow progress for several years.

Records associated with the project show that the highway stretches about 48.92 kilometres, but only 13.74 kilometres had been completed at the time the request was made, leaving more than 35 kilometres unfinished. The delay had long affected commuters and businesses that rely on the road, a key route linking Abia State with neighbouring Akwa Ibom State.

The state government later stepped in under the Federal Government’s “Build and We Will Reimburse” arrangement, a policy that allows states to undertake federal road projects and recover their costs after completion and verification. Supporters of the state administration say the intervention helped revive work on the strategic corridor, which had previously faced years of slow execution and contractor challenges.

The road serves as an important economic link for traders, transport operators, farmers, and businesses moving goods between the South-East and South-South regions. For many residents and motorists who have endured difficult travel conditions for years, the renewed reconstruction efforts have raised hopes that the long-delayed project may finally be completed.

Despite the progress, disagreements among political actors over the origin and management of the project continue to dominate public discussions, with both sides presenting different interpretations of how the road reconstruction came about. Observers say the debate highlights the broader struggle for political recognition over major infrastructure projects in the state.