A strong push for community participation took centre stage in Umunneochi as the Executive Mayor, Chief Sunny Afurobi, rallied traditional and community leaders to take full ownership of the upcoming 8.9-kilometre rural road projects being executed under the Abia State Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP).
The call was made during a Stakeholders’ Engagement Forum held at the Umunneochi Council Headquarters, Nkwoagu, where the Honourable Commissioner for Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, Mrs Ngozi Blessing Felix, led a state delegation to brief stakeholders ahead of the commencement of backlog maintenance roads.
Chief Afurobi commended Governor Alex Otti for promptly paying the counterpart fund that enabled Abia’s inclusion in the World Bank–supported project, and described RAAMP as a “reliable partner in grassroots development,” noting that the captured roads will significantly boost access, security, and economic activity in the council area.
Beyond acknowledging the state government’s role, the Mayor tasked leaders in all affected communities to safeguard contractors, equipment, and materials throughout the construction process, and assured that his office will regularly supervise the project sites to ensure security, quality assurance, and timely delivery.
Chief Afurobi encouraged the contractor, Hensec Construction Engineering Company, to prioritise hiring local labour and sourcing materials within the communities, and also appealed to RAAMP and the Ministry of Poverty Alleviation to include additional roads from other zones of Umunneochi in their 2026 and 2027 plans.
Reaffirming his administration’s commitment to youth empowerment, the Mayor urged Commissioner Felix to broaden collaborative opportunities with Umunneochi, especially in skills development and sustainable livelihood programmes.
According to him, the numerous signature projects being institutionalised across Abia State, including those in Umunneochi, are already winning public goodwill, and expressed confidence that the people will reward such developmental strides at the polls.
In her remarks, Commissioner Felix explained that RAAMP is a World Bank–assisted initiative geared towards rural development, adding that Abia’s payment of about ₦4.1 billion in counterpart funds unlocked the ongoing projects.
She listed the roads captured in Umunneochi as:
- 2.55km Oba Junction – Umumaduako – Umumeze Road
- 5.20km Orie Ngodo Market – Obinohia Umudim – Lomara Road
The 8.9km roads, she noted, will be stone-base asphalted and equipped with solar-powered streetlights to enhance safety and night-time visibility.
Engr. Omini John Bassey, Managing Director of Hensec Construction Engineering Company, confirmed that preliminary site preparations have been completed, and projected an early May 2026 completion timeline and appealed for community cooperation for uninterrupted work.
Community leaders, including Ichie Linus Onyeama, Ichie John Onwukwe, and Hon. David Mba, expressed gratitude to Governor Alex Otti, RAAMP management, and the Ministry of Poverty Alleviation for selecting their roads, and pledged to mobilise support to ensure smooth project execution.
Delivering the vote of thanks, RAAMP Project Coordinator, Mrs Amarachi Monday Kalu, represented by Mr Obinna Aguoha, HOD Monitoring and Evaluation, commended Mayor Afurobi for providing a conducive environment for engagement, and expressed satisfaction with the stakeholders’ responses assuring continued collaboration until the project is delivered.
The event featured an interactive session with questions and answers from community representatives.
