Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has accused the immediate past administration led by Okezie Ikpeazu of mismanaging funds meant for the reconstruction of Port Harcourt Road in Aba.
Speaking on Wednesday during a thanksgiving and carnival organized by the Aba community at Umuagbai Secondary School to celebrate the completion of Port Harcourt Road and other projects, Otti alleged that the Ikpeazu administration paid N9.8 billion to a contractor in 2017 for the road project, which was never delivered.
“So, listen to the response. In 2017, they awarded this Port Harcourt Road. The amount at that time was N9.8 Billion. And they paid out the entire money. But the road was not done.
‘So, when in 2025, the road cost N36.5 Billion, they started making noise. So, I said, since you people understand mathematics, the average exchange rate in 2017 was N333 to a Dollar. Now, if you apply that, the N9.8 Billion was actually USD29 million equivalent”, Otti added.
The governor dismissed criticisms from his opponents, describing them as mere noise makers.
Otti also announced that 20 electric buses procured by his administration would be deployed in the next two months to improve transportation in the state.
During the event, a tricycle rider in Aba who returned N2.4 million forgotten by a passenger was commended by the governor and rewarded for his honesty.
Earlier, the convener of the carnival, Onyeka Ernest Udeajah, and the State Chairman of the Cooperative Motor Union, Mr. Chukwuma Azodo, praised the reconstruction of Port Harcourt Road, saying it has helped revive several collapsed businesses in the area.
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