The Abia State Road Fund and Administration Board Bill, 2024, (H.A.B 16), sponsored by Majority Leader and Arochukwu Constituency Representative, Hon. Uchenna Okoro Kalu, has on Tuesday, passed its second reading.
This bill proposes establishing a dedicated fund to construct, rehabilitate, and maintain Class B, C, and D roads across the 17 local government areas (LGAs) in Abia. It also outlines the creation of a management board to ensure the funds are effectively utilized.
Following the amendment of the Order Paper, the House agreed to review the bill in the Committee of the Whole for further legislative deliberation.
Additionally, the House has passed a related bill, H.A.B 17: The Abia State Rural Access Roads Agency Bill, 2024, for its third reading. This bill focuses on managing and overseeing rural road projects within the state.
Speaking to the press after the session, Deputy Speaker Rt. Hon. Austin Okezie clarified that H.A.B 16 has no area of conflict with H.A.B 17 , as they address different aspects of road infrastructure.
“HAB 16 is essentially an enabler of HAB 17. HAB 17 talks about the administration, how the roles are mapped out, constructed and all and HAB 16 talks about the funds. You know, you don’t just make the funds available and just leave it in a vacuum.
There ought to be a board that will look into the management of the funds. They go pari passu and as I’ve always said, it’s a part of the requirements or a necessary condition for Abia to qualify in the scale-up of the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Projects. That’s RAMP,” Okezie explained.
Speaking during the plenary, Hon. Ishienyi Boniface of Ikwuano Constituency and Hon. Lewis Obianyi of Ukwa East expressed appreciation to Governor Alex Otti for initiating several road projects in their various constituencies.