By Steve Oko

Gov. Alex Otti has said that payment of compensation to property owners on the Owerrinta/Imo Bridge road expansion project would soon begin.

This, according to him followed the completion of the identification of the affected properties and their owners.

Otti who spoke through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Ferdinand Ekeoma, said the compensation would be completed “before demolition begins”.

Recall that Gov. Otti had during the flag-off of the now delivered Gen. Aguiyi Ironsi Boulevard (formerly Osasah road) project, hinted that his administration would expand the entry points to the state to six-lane roads.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, who was also at the briefing, said that the design for the expansion of Abia Tower Umuahia/Onuimo six-lane road expansion project had been completed.

He said that the project would soon be flagged off to give Umuahia the state capital a more befitting look and easy access from the Imo boundary.

Similarly, the Commissioner disclosed that the design for Onuinyan – Oboro Ikwuano road project was nearing completion.

This is as he said that work was progressing on all on-going road projects across the state in keeping with the avowal of Gov. Otti to bridge the infrastructural deficit in the state.

He said that so far, a total of 108 roads had been rehabilitated and maintained across the state through direct labour.

Some of the on-going road projects include Ohanku Road, Cemetery Road, Port Harcourt Road Aba, Umuahia-Ohafia Road phases 1,2 &3; Nunya- Isuikwuato Road, among others.

Responding to a question, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Ukoha Njoku Ukoha, said teachers whose salaries did not match with their grade level had been directed to bring their complaints to the Special Adviser to the Governor on Education for action.

He said the Governor would ensure no teacher or worker is shortchanged, assuring that any anomaly in payment will be sorted out with the Ministry of Finance.