..assures asphalting all RAMP roads by 2021

Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State

By Chinedu Adonu, Enugu

Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State has inaugurated over 30 Community Based Road Maintenance Group, CBRMG, formed in all the community that benefited from World Bank projects in Enugu for sustainability.

It was gathered about 330 men and women that formed the 30 groups were selected across the communities where Rural Access and Mobility Project, RAMP -2 constructed roads.

During the inauguration and allocation of roads maintenance equipment to the groups, Gov Ugwuanyi said that rural roads development is a key to attaining rapid and accelerated rural development.

Ugwuanyi, represented by Deputy Chief of staff to the governor, Prof Malachy Ukwueze, urged the group to consider the job as state government assignment, warning that government would treat any case of abandonment of duty as an act of sabotage to state and disservice to their respective communities.

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According to him, with a view to making it functional and ensuring that the maintenance of rural roads and sustainability of RAMP projects, state government is putting plans in motion towards asphalting all RAMP roads by 2021and 2022 fiscal years respectively.

“Today’s occasion is very dear to Enugu state government because it borders on the empowerment of the rural dwellers. The occasion signifies the commencement of maintenance of over 330km roads constructed by Enugu RAMP-2 as part of Enugu state government’s rural development programme.

“Enugu state government has left no stone unturned in giving both financial and political support to Enugu RAMP in its bid to execute all it’s activities as funded by our development partners, the World Bank and French Development Agency, FDA. The state government has been prompt in the payment of its counterpart funds to the project and mobilised regreen sources in the supervision of the ongoing construction of 270.059km phase 2 roads of Enugu RAMP-2.

“In this regard, the state government has its sustainability plan for RAMP has given an EXCO approval for management of law to making it functional and ensuring that the maintenance of rural roads and sustainability of RAMP is enshrined in it.

“Today seated before us are about 330 men and women who have been selected to maintain the roads constructed by Enugu RAMP-2 across the various communities of Enugu State. These people have been fully trained on roads maintenance by RAMP”, He said.

Earlier in a welcome address by the project coordinator of Enugu RAMP-2, Engr, Chinedu Ugwu, said the CBRMG is an essential component to RAMP as roads constructed by Enugu RAMP are all gravel roads until state government or World Bank decide to asphalt the roads.

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While appealing the state government to expedite action towards asphalting these roads to make for more lasting protection of the roads, called on CBRMG to deliver quality maintenance to ensure the sustainability of their roads considering its usefulness to the communities.

“Community-Based Road Maintenance Group, CBRMG, is a component of the RAMP project and at ensuring that all roads constructed by RAMP are sustained by the direct maintenance activities of the beneficiaries of those roads. These have become imperative as the roads being constructed by the project by design are all gravel roads until the government or World Bank decides to upgrade them to asphaltic roads.

“Enugu state government working through RAMP has given you good roads, you have received quality training from RAMP on road maintenance and you will soon get to the road equipment. A great expectation is now on you to deliver quality maintenance to ensure the sustainability of your roads. You can not fail on this considering the usefulness of the roads to your various communities and the huge investment made on these roads”, Ugwu advised.

Vanguard News Nigeria