By Suleiman Anyalewechi
Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, Wednesday evening, May 21, 2025, justified the about N36 billion expended by his administration to finally fix the seemingly jinxed but all-important Port Harcourt Road in Aba the commercial hub of the State.
This is just as the Aba business Community insisted that the reconstruction of the economic gateway of Aba and Abia State far outweighed any amount spent.
At a special thanksgiving carnival tagged “Port Harcourt Road: Promise Kept” put together by the Aba business community to appreciate him, Governor Otti noted that his immediate predecessor in office spent more money without fixing the road.
The Source reports that Port Harcourt Road which serves as the heartbeat and operational economic gateway of the commercial city, was left in utter ruins for over 15 years.
The sorry state of the road which houses over 70% of the branch offices of major banks and critical state infrastructures, including schools, forced many businesses and other activities to go under, thereby negatively affecting the Gross Domestic Products, GDP, of the Abia state.
However, the opposition outcry over alleged inflation of the reconstruction efforts has tended to be competing with the visible public ecstasy that greeted the completion of the reconstruction.
Responding to the opposition, Governor Otti, stated that he had deliberately chosen not to reply the often misguided criticisms of the opposition with sterling performances.
“The shameless opposition began to make noise right from the time we brought Julius Berger to the site before assuming office.
“That time, they said we were in a hurry. And when we started to deliver what they could not do for years, they began to talk about the cost.
“But the truth is that the immediate past administration spent about N9.8 billion as at 2017 on the same road without any result.
“That amount, when converted today at the current exchange rate is over the amount we finally spent on fixing the road.
“But the good thing is that we have always ignored their rantings and refused to be distracted.
“You see, in 2025, we spent N36 billion to fix the road, and they ( opposition) are making noise . Now, I said since you people understand mathematics ,let us work it out. In 2017 the average exchange rate was N333 to a Dollar.
“Presently, if you apply that to the N9.8 billion they spent in 2017 to the exchange rate, you will have about $29 million dollars equivalent.
” In 2025 ,at the average exchange rate of N1.600 ,N36,billion is actually $ 22.8 million equivalent.
“Now, some people spent $29 million dollars without achieving any result, and another fixed the road with about $22 million, which one is commendable?”, Gov Otti, queried
He appreciated the Aba business community for organizing the carnival to appreciate and support the efforts of the Government.
The Governor noted that such show of public gratitude and understanding will further encourage the Government to do more.
The immediate past National President of the Nigerian Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, NACCIMA, Ide John Udeagbara, the President General of Aba Landlords Protection and Development Association, ALPADA, Sir Alphosus Udeigbo, and Chief Onyeka Ernest Udeaja, who spoke separately on behalf of the organizers of the event, paid glowing tribute to the Governor for breathing back life into the economic activities of Aba and Abia State in general through his administration’s massive infrastructural renewal agenda.
They particularly lauded him for the Port Harcourt Road reconstruction efforts which they described as landmark, and monumental.
According to them, the reopening of the road which had been in serious dilapidated state for almost two decades, has once again reopened the economic corridors of not only Aba, but most neighbouring South East and South South states.
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