AN OVERVIEW OF THE MINISTRY

The Ministry of Works and Transport is subdivided into five functional Departments. The divisions are for administrative convenience and for the delivery of policy thrust of the Ministry. The Departments includes, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Planning Research and Statistics, Finance and Accounts and finally Administrative Department.

These Departments are manned by highly trained and professionally competent personnel employed and posted to the Ministry by the Civil Service Commission of Ebonyi State. To facilitate work in the ministry, the State Government under the leadership of Engr. David Nweze Umahi equally procured road construction equipment in addition to conducive office environment for optimal performance.

Ebonyi State Ministry of Works & Transport strive hard to deliver the highest standard of excellence and quality service to Ebonyi people. With our commitment to exceeding expectations, our State is our utmost priority and our true success is rested on our able Governor, His Excellency Engineer (Chief) David Umahi.

The ministry is in charge of the following:

1. Building, maintenance and improvement of urban and rural road networks.
2. Construction and maintenance of State public facilities.
3. Supervision of construction expenditures from the general budget to execution, with coordination of State Government.
4. Preparation of studies, conditions and specifications of State project plans.
5. Monitoring of the State’s public facilities and projects.
6. Planning and designing of the terms and specifications for State projects, announcing the tenders and selecting the contractors and advisory corporations.

VISION

To have quality, efficient, cost-effective construction industry within the State that is capable of meeting diverse needs for safe environmental friendly construction. Rehabilitation and maintenance of roads, buildings, electrical and mechanical works and other works that facilitates social and economic development of the state, and by extension, the nation.

MISSION

To facilitate provision of environment friendly and reliable services in construction industry, electrical and mechanical services, and government buildings that meet the needs of the public through the development and implementation of appropriate policies, strategies and standards of the state government.

DEPARTMENTS

The Ministry of Works and Transport is subdivided into five functional Departments. The divisions are for administrative convenience and for the delivery of policy thrust of the government. The Departments includes, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Planning Research and Statistics, Finance and Accounts and finally Administrative Department.

These Departments are manned by highly trained and professionally competent personnel employed and posted to the Ministry by the Civil Service Commission of Ebonyi State. To complement the efforts of these personnel, the State Government under the leadership of Engr. David Nweze Umahi equally procured road construction equipment, in addition to conducive office environment for optimal performance.

OBJECTIVES OF THE MINISTRY OF WORKS AND TRANSPORT

The broad objectives of the ministry is to construct, reconstruct and rehabilitate urban and rural roads in Ebonyi State. To achieve the above objectives, the ministry collects and maintains a scientific inventory on terrain, soil type and distance of all roads in the state, designs and estimates cost of construction of selected roads.

OTHER OBJECTIVES INCLUDE:

• To stabilize the public transport sub-sector of the economy and maintain affordable transport fare regime.
• To ensure security of commuters by regular inspection of road worthiness of all vehicles to ensure that only licensed drivers and sound vehicles are permitted on the roads.
• To organize training and retraining for professional staff to meet the challenges of their duties.
• To provide landing sites at the river banks and construction of motor parks for convenience of commuters.
• To ensure that necessary revenue to the government is collected and remitted timely.
• To liaise with other ministries or agencies of government in delivery of service to the people.

THERE ARE TWO AGENCIES IN THE MINISTRY OF WORKS AND TRANSPORT:

• EBROMA (Ebonyi Road Maintenance Agency)
• EBOTRANS (Ebonyi Transport Co-operation)

These agencies as their names imply, provide service in the road construction, maintenance and rehabilitation (EBROMA) and road transport within and outside Ebonyi State, respectively.

The co-ordination of the activities of the above departments and agencies rests on the Honourable Commissioner for Works & Transport, Engr. Nweze Fidelis Kings (Mnse) who is an experienced Civil Engineer. Directly below the Hon. Commissioner is a Permanent Secretary who is vast in administration of personnel. In terms of policy matters, the Hon. Commissioner takes directives from the State Executive Council chaired by His Excellency, the Governor of Ebonyi State, Engr (Chief) David Nweze Umahi.

ACHIEVEMENT OF THE MINISTRY

Although Ebonyi State is known to have lean income sources, Governor David Nweze Umahi resolved to create a fertile environment for commerce and industry in the state. His intention is to use them as focal points for the state’s economic development. The Commissioner for Works & Transport, Engineer Nweze Fidelis Kings rolled out the master-plan on road management considering the role of infrastructure in every economy.

The Governor of Ebonyi State, Engr. (Chief) David Umahi is desirous to develop the state; and one of the measures is to give the State a face lift. Upon assumption of office on May 29, 2015, Governor David Nweze Umahi, (Fnse, Fnate,) took the bull by the horn and embarked on aggressive development of the state, despite paucity of funds. The way Abakaliki the state capital was immediately transformed through massive road construction, rehabilitation and reconstruction, surprised everyone. This is as against the economic meltdown he met coupled with low monthly allocation from the federal government and low internally generated revenue in the state.

Abakaliki, since Umahi came on board, has become another commercial hub in the South East. The governor has installed streetlights in all the streets and constructed so many kilometers of roads in the state, which has returned night life; buying and selling in the city as the people enjoy uninterrupted power supply for their businesses and arrive their destinations without fear. To boost commercial activities in the state, the Umahi administration has embarked on aggressive re-construction of Margret Umahi International Market which was constructed by the last administration with structural deficit and defects.

Based on December 2018 progress report, Umahi’s administration has executed over 90 projects which cut across every local government in the state. The standard of these roads and bridges cannot be compromised in any way. No wonder, the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) has made it a reference point. All over Nigeria today, civil engineers and governors are being advised to borrow a leaf from Ebonyi State.

Some of Engr. David Umahi’s enviable projects include: 8.1-kilometre Amasiri /Edda road; 21.1-kilometre Uburu /Amasiri road; 14-kilometre Nwiboko Obodo Road; and 23-kilometre Ezzama /Oshiri / Onitcha Road.

The 25.4-kilometre Abomege/Ugwulangwu /Ukawu Road, 23- kilometre Agbaja /Nwofe and 12.6-kilometre Okue /Nzerem /Ishiagu Road, dualization of Amuro –Eke Market Roundabout-Ngodo-Saint Mary-Amagballa 5.5-km; dualisation of 24-km Amuro Roundabout – Amasiri Junction, and the construction of rigid pavement from Akanu Ibiam Junction to Akanu Ibiam Complex in Unwana among others are projects dear to the heart of the present Government of Ebonyi State.

These breathtaking projects are not done for political aggrandizement but to justify pronouncements in his electoral manifesto and divine mandate from God. Today, Umahi has made history with rigid road pavements, first of its kind across the Niger. While it is a dream come true for the Ebonyians, it is also actualization of electoral promises made by the incumbent governor, Engr. David Nweze Umahi.