Following the outbreak of #Coronavirus and its worldwide spread, the Abia State Government has given reasons why the virus may halt the completion of some of its projects across the state.
Projects like Osisioma Flyover Bridge, Umueze road project in Aba are inclusive.
Speaking exclusively with Daily Independent in Umuahia, the state commissioner for information, John Okiyi Kalu, says Abia has stopped some Chinese expatriates handling some of its projects from returning to the state from China in order to forestall the virus from entering and spreading in Abia State.
According to Kalu, Osisioma Fly Over Bridge and Umueze road projects being handled by these Chinese expatriates would have been completed and handed over to the state government this March had it not been the Coronavirus pandemic that had recently broken out.
He disclosed that though some of the staff of the firms working on the projects did not travel, those that remained in Abia State are skeletal and cannot handle the huge construction work going on in the project sites, hence the suspension of major work until the virus is controlled and those that travelled returned to the state.
“There is reduction of available manpower. The Chinese working on the projects went home for their traditional end of year and we asked them not to come back because of the Coronavirus.
“Those that are supposed to finish the job are currently in China and we demanded that they should not come back. However, there is working going on there with few of them available.
“We are even more worried with Umueze road that the same company is handling. The Umueze road in Aba, we thought that they will finish that project in March but with the look of things they will not complete it as expected.
The information Commissioner however, noted that the riser for the Flyover is already installed; pointing out that what remains is the descent.
“As soon as the descent is installed, the Flyover is completed. Other things remaining are minor things that will be completed without hassles”, he added.
