The committee will investigate the level of funds released, utilisation and the level of work done so far on the road.
The Senate has mandated its Committee on Works, when constituted, to investigate the award of contracts for rehabilitation of Aba-Ossisioma, Port-Harcourt, Umuahia -Ikot -Ekpene roads.
It specifically mandated the committee to investigate level of funds released, utilisation and the level of work done so far.
Senates' resolution followed consideration and adoption of a motion at plenary on Tuesday.
The motion, titled "urgent need to investigate delay in completion of Umuahia Umudike-Ikot -Ekpene, Aba -Ikot Ekpene and Aba-Ossisioma to Port -Harcourt roads" was sponsored by Darlington Nwokocha (LP, Abia).
Mr Nwokocha, in his debate, said Aba-Ossisioma, Umuahia-Umudike, Ikot Ekpene and Aba to Ikot-Ekpene roads are critical national assets and Federal Government category "A" interstates roads.
He said the road traverses and connects the South-east, South-south, South-west, and Northern geopolitical zones of the country.
According to him, the roads are central to the economic and social nerves of the cities of Aba Umuahia, Uyo, Ikot-Ekpene and Port-Harcourt and serve as the arteries of the Nigeria National Petroleum Cooperation Limited operations, providing the company an alternative channel for distribution of petroleum products.
He said important agricultural produce nationwide have continued to perish due to delays in the completion of the road projects.
He said the the federal government had awarded contract of the road to Messrs CGCC Global Project Nigeria limited, Heartland and Raycon Construction Company and China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC), saying that the project was funded by NNPC limited.
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He said the funding was pursuant to the Presidential Executive Order 007 signed in 2019 under the Road Infrastructure Tax Credit Scheme designed to boost Nigeria's national road asset and marginally reduce critical infrastructure deficit in Nigeria.
According to Mr Nwokocha, the NNPC had handed N621.24 billion for the reconstruction of the 21 critical roads across the country including the Aba-Ikot Ekpene Umudike-Ikot-Ekpene roads to the federal government.
He decried that despite expending in excess of N15 billion since inception on the critical roads, the Umuahia Umudike-Ikot-Ekpene roads had only attained 6 per cent completion as of April 2023.
He said the deplorable state of the Aba-Port-Harcourt road has led to economic stagnation of the former boisterous commercial city with more than 1000 businesses closing down.
This, he said, had resulted in negative impacts on standard of living of households, youth unemployment, government revenue and general productivity.
Senate, in its further resolution, urged the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing and Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) to urgently intervene and include repair of the failed portions of the roads in its plan.
The upper chamber also urged the ministry to urgently complete the road.
