South East breaking News
By Steve Unegbu
The Abia state government has restated commitment to continue to give massive support to Abia State Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP) and to ensure the bill for its establishment is passed .
This was made known by the Abia Commissioner for Cooperative and rural development ,Mazi Donatus Okorie during a one -Day workshop organized by Abia state Rural Access Agricultural Marketing Project in collaboration with the ministry of cooperative and rural development,held in Umuahia
According to him ,” Abia state government has been very supportive of RAAMP and especially the present Governor Dr Okezie Ikpeazu has given massive support to RAAMP.
” RAAMP establishment will open up the rural roads to facilitate the transport of Agricultural products “
He commended the State coordinator of RAAMP,Dr John Babington Chibunna for working so hard.
Interacting with Newsmen shortly after deliberations with critical stakeholders,the Consultant from World Bank, Maysam Abedin said ,” We are here to improve the level of service to rural road users .
He revealed that RAAMP will be funding rural roads development as well as to reform the sector and manage it too.
He said that RAAMP will bring tangible improvement and see to the establishment of two new institutions (RARA and SRF) and to manage the rural roads and expressed happiness over the massive turn out of stakeholders, described the workshop as very lively and interactive .
He assured that RAAMP will improve Abia rural roads and that it is different from the Abroma
Earlier ,the State coordinator RAAMP ,Dr John Babington Chibunna, explained that the essence of the one-Day workshop was all about Sustainability of the rural roads project in the state.
He said the World Bank and the Federal government in their wisdom came up with the idea to establish Rural Roads Agency and state road fund to help us have Sustainability of the road .
He said RARA and SRF will continue to manage these roads in the rural areas.
According to him,” It has been signed by agreement between the world Bank and the Abia state government.
“The bill must be passed by the State House of Assembly within the 18 months of the implementation of the project.
” The project became effective on the 15th of March ,2021 and we are almost at the end of the 18th months.
” It is important that we come with the bill for passage and we can not do it without involving the Stakeholders and that is why we called the Stakeholders today for them to hear from the consultant and also make their own contributions, before presenting the bill to the Abia state council and the Abia House of Assembly”
