The House of Representatives Committee on Works on Wednesday lauded Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State on his proactive efforts to rehabilitate some Federal Government roads within the state.

The Chairman of the committee, Hon. Toby Okechukwu, gave the commendation when he led members of the committee on a courtesy call to Gov. Ugwuanyi at Government House, Enugu.

“We, on behalf of the Federal Government, praise you (Gov. Ugwuanyi) for your concern and the proactive steps you have so far taken in rehabilitating some of the federal roads in the state.

“With this show of concern, it is important that delays in reimbursing states monies used to rehabilitate these roads are eliminated as the public hardly ever makes any distinction between Federal and state roads,” Okechukwu said.

The lawmakers assured Ugwuanyi that the committee would leave no stone unturned in ensuring that the twin issues of deplorable Federal roads and gully erosions in the state were tackled in a holistic manner.

Responding, Ugwuanyi appealed to the Federal Government to refund the over N22 billion the state had spent on the rehabilitation of Federal roads, to enable it to undertake other crucial development projects.

The governor decried the deplorable condition of Federal roads in the South East, especially Enugu-Onitsha road; Enugu-Port Harcourt road and Enugu-Abakaliki road; adding that their rehabilitation was expedient.

“The negative impact of these bad roads can never be over-emphasised as movement is impeded, socio economic ltives is hampered, comfort of the people is adversely affected,’’ he noted.

The committee is Enugu State as part of its oversight function aimed at assessing the state of Federal roads in the state with the aim of making necessary recommendations in the 2017 Appropriation Bill.

Meanwhile, Ugwuanyi had earlier received the House of Representatives Committee on Environment and Habitat led by its Chairman, Hon. Obinna Chidoka.

The governor urged the Federal Government to take urgent action to curb the adverse effects of gully erosion in the state.