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36-615: The project entails the construction of a 51.6-kilometre road connecting Umuahia and Aba , Abia State. It is a significant southeast road that connects at least five states in the Eastern area, including Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Imo, and Rivers. The scope of work on the Enugu – Port Harcourt Dual Carriage Expressway includes pavement overlay of the existing dual carriageway with 7.3m asphaltic concrete and 1.2m inner surface dress shoulders, scarification of existing bituminous surface, improvement of

72-473: A population of 359,230 according to the 2006 Nigerian census. Umuahia is renowned for being a railway and agricultural market center, which attracts traders and farmers from neighboring towns to sell their produce, such as yams, cassava, corn (maize), taro, citrus fruits, and palm oil and kernels. There are industries that help drive its economy, such as a brewery and a palm-oil-processing plant. Nigeria's National Root Crops Research Institute , at Umudike ,

108-685: A single United African Company ; he then acted as the combined firm's agent in the territory. Almost immediately, the firm saw renewed competition as two French firms—the French Equatorial African Association and the Senegal Company —and another English one—the Liverpool and Manchester Trading Company —begin establishing posts on the river as well. A native attack on the UAC's outpost at Onitsha in 1879

144-588: A trading post for the African Steamship Company " at the confluence of the Niger and Benue rivers. The expedition failed, with 40 of the 49 members dying of fever or wounds from native attacks. One of the survivors, Macgregor Laird , subsequently remained in Britain but directed and funded expeditions to the country until his death in 1861. He opposed the failed Niger expedition of 1841 but

180-477: Is adjacent to the town. Umuahia also has several colleges including Trinity College (theological), Government College Umuahia, Holy Rosary Girls Secondary School and hospitals like the Federal Medical Centre , Umuahia (formerly Queen Elizabeth Hospital). Umuahia comprises two local government areas : Umuahia North and Umuahia South . These local governments are also composed of clans such as

216-536: Is composed mainly of five sister clans, socially and phonologically homogenous at most, with each clan having its own version of autonomy, and social evolution. Umuahia was established by the British colonial administration of Nigeria in the early 20th century. Umuahia was declared the second (and soon became the longest serving) capital, of the short-lived nation of the Republic of Biafra , on 28 September 1967 after

252-418: Is considered to be wet. In Umuahia, the likelihood of rainy days fluctuates wildly throughout the year. From March 28 to November 8 (the wetter season), there is a greater than 44% chance that any given day will be rainy. In Umuahia, September has an average of 25.0 days with at least 0.04 inches of precipitation, making it the month with the most wet days. Between November 8 and March 28, or 4.6 months,

288-588: Is only a short dry season. The climate here is classified as Am, by the Köppen-Geiger system. In Umuahia, the average annual temperature is 26.0 °C. Precipitation here averages 2153 mm. Precipitation is the lowest in December, with an average of 15 mm. Most precipitation falls in September, with an average of 322 mm. At an average temperature of 27.5 °C, March is the hottest month of

324-457: Is the dry season. With an average of just 1.4 days with at least 0.04 inches of precipitation, January is the month with the fewest wet days in Umuahia. Extreme seasonal variations in monthly rainfall are common in Umuahia. From February 1 to December 12 there are 10 months of rain, with a median 31-day rainfall of at least 0.5 inches. With an average rainfall of 10.6 inches, September

360-420: Is the wettest month in Umuahia. The year's dry spell lasts from December 12 to February 1 for 1.7 months. With an average rainfall of just 0.3 inches, January is the month with the least amount of rain in Umuahia. 5°32′N 07°29′E  /  5.533°N 7.483°E  / 5.533; 7.483 Royal Niger Company The Royal Niger Company was a mercantile company chartered by

396-555: The British government in the nineteenth century. It was formed in 1879 as the United African Company and renamed to National African Company in 1881 and to Royal Niger Company in 1886. In 1929, the company became part of the United Africa Company , which came under the control of Unilever during the 1930s and continued to exist as a subsidiary of Unilever until 1987, when it was absorbed into

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432-610: The British government being overcome, a charter was at length granted (July 1886), the National African Company becoming The Royal Niger Company Chartered and Limited (normally shortened to the Royal Niger Company), with Lord Aberdare as governor and Goldie as vice-governor. It was, however, evidently impossible for a chartered company to hold its own against the state-supported protectorates of France and Germany , and in consequence its charter

468-593: The Northern Nigeria Protectorate to form the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria in 1914 (which eventually gained independence within the same borders as Nigeria in 1960). The Royal Niger Company was eventually integrated into Unilever . Richard Lander first explored the area of Nigeria as the servant of Hugh Clapperton . In 1830, he returned to the river with his brother John ; in 1832, he returned again (without his brother) to establish

504-543: The Umuopara , Ibeku , Olokoro , Ubakala and Ohuhu communities. According to popular legend, the name Umuahia derives from the Igbo word AmaAhia or "Ama Ahia", which means "market place or market center", respectively. The British , who arrived the region and annexed it sometime around the mid-to late 19th century, upon learning the name, mistakenly pronounced and spelled it as "Umuahia". Other legends exist regarding

540-530: The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, to facilitate a quick rehabilitation of the failed portions of the Onitsha-Owerri highway. Umuahia Umuahia ( pronounced [ʊmʊaːhiaː] ) is the capital city of Abia State in southeastern Nigeria . Umuahia is located along the rail road that lies between Port Harcourt to its south, and Enugu city to its north. Umuahia has

576-582: The NAC's over 400 treaties with local leaders obliged the natives to trade solely with or through the company's agents. Large tariffs and license fees eliminated competing firms from the area. The terms of these private contracts were made into general treaties by the British consuls, whose own treaties expressly incorporated them. Similarly, when King Jaja of Opobo organized his own trading network and even began running his own shipments of palm oil to Britain, he

612-538: The Niger River during the negotiations at the 1884–1885 Berlin Conference on African colonization . Goldie himself attended the meetings and successfully argued for including the region of the NAC's operations within a British sphere of interest. Pledges from him and the British diplomats that free trade (or, in any case, non-discriminatory tariff rates) would be respected in their territory were dead letters:

648-462: The busy market center, with many roads leading to it. However, the name Ama Ahia was not the town's name; rather it was located in a place called Afor Ibeji, near Olokoro Town. With increasing British administrative and commercial activities in the region and yonder, Umuahia, as it came to be known and written, was relocated to Ibeku Town for better oversight by administrative offices and the convergence of roads at Ibeku. The new location became one of

684-594: The company's capitalization to £100 000. He then managed to corral £ 1 000 000 in investments in a new concern—the National African Company —which bought up the UAC and its interests in 1882. The death of Léon Gambetta the same year deprived the French companies of their support within the French government and the strong subsidies it had been providing them. Goldie's cash-flush NAC

720-570: The first capital, Enugu was captured by Nigerian troops. On April 22, 1969 Umuahia was occupied and nearly taken by Nigerian troops but were forced to retreat, due to a stiff offensive by Biafran Maj. E.A. Eutuk. After Umuahia's capture on 24 December 1969, the last Biafran capital before its dissolution became Owerri . Formerly known as Ikwuano/Umuahia Local government council until the Babangida-led government divided it into two LGAs—Ikwuano LGA and Umuahia LGA in 1991—and then later in 1996,

756-558: The former Umuahia Local Government Area was split by Abacha-led government into two local governments: Umuahia North and Umuahia South. The first executive chairman of the old Umuahia local government area is Chief Chibiko Ukanwoke, elected in December 1991. There are two LGAs in Umuahia, namely; Umuahia North and Umuahia South. Both LGAs are made up of Clans, and villages in turn, made up the Clans. The South has three major clans, namely – Ubakala, Olokoro, and Umuopara (until 1949, Umuopara

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792-482: The major trading posts along the rail route built by the United African Company (UAC) for carting produce, raw materials, and minerals along the trade route from Sub-Sahara to the Atlantic Ocean, for onward exportation to Europe. The trading post was named Umuahia-Ibeku Station to reflect the new market square and domain. Over time, the area became known as Umuahia, while the original market town at Afor Ibeji

828-482: The origin of Umuahia, but the foregoing version seems most probable by consensus. In precolonial times, it served as one of the central marketplaces in the region for commerce. Given its serenity and proximity to other towns, such as Ohafia, Abiriba, Ihechiowa, Arochukwu, Obowo, Ngwa, Okigwi, Uzuakoli, Bende, Nnewi, Akwa Akpa (Old Calabar), and Kalabari, merchants of produce, pottery, crafts, textile, traditional medicine, palm wine, and tools travelled from afar, to trade at

864-614: The parent company. The company existed for a comparatively short time (1879–1900) but was instrumental in the formation of Colonial Nigeria , as it enabled the British Empire to establish control over the lower Niger  against the German competition led by Bismarck during the 1890s. In 1900, the company-controlled territories became the Southern Nigeria Protectorate , which was in turn united with

900-637: The region in 1877, George Goldie argued for the amalgamation of the surviving British firms into a single monopolistic chartered company , a method contemporaries supposed had been buried with the ultimate failure of the East India Company following the Sepoy Rebellion . By 1879, he had helped combine James Crowther's WAC, David Macintosh's Central African Company , and the Williams Brothers' and James Pinnock's firms into

936-414: The road alignment, provision of culverts and drains, asphaltic binder and wearing courses with kerbs and chutes. The administration of President Goodluck Jonathan awarded the contract in September 2013 to Messrs Arab Contractors Nig. Ltd. for N50.89 Billion. March 2017 was the initial expected project completion however, it was later revised to March 2020 due to funding constraints as only N450 million

972-577: The success of the Pleiad' s first mission in 1854 led to annual trips under Baikie and the 1857 foundation of Lokoja at the Niger–Benue confluence. There were no voyages for the three years following Laird's death, but the establishment of the West African Company was soon followed by several other firms. The competition reduced prices to the point that profits were minimal. Arriving in

1008-410: The year, with the sky remaining clear, mostly clear, or partly overcast 41% of the time. Around February 10 through November 24, there is a 9.4-month period of increased cloud cover. In Umuahia, April is the month with the most clouds , with the sky being overcast or mostly cloudy 85% of the time on average. A day that has at least 0.04 inches of liquid or liquid-equivalent precipitation

1044-411: The year. In August, the average temperature is 24.5 °C. It is the lowest average temperature of the whole year. The annual seasonal variation in the average percentage of sky covered by clouds in Umuahia is quite pronounced. Around November 24 marks the start of Umuahia's clearer season, which lasts for 2.6 months and ends around February 10. In Umuahia, December is the clearest month of

1080-511: Was lured onto a British warship and shipped into exile on Saint Vincent on charges of "treaty breaking" and "obstructing commerce". Despite treaties extending British control over the tribes of the Cameroons , however, Britain was willing to recognize the German colony that usurped the area in 1885 as a check on French activity in the upper Congo and Ubangi watersheds. The scruples of

1116-541: Was part of Ohuhu). Some of the communities/villages in Umuahia South constitute what is known as Old Umuahia. The Local Government council Headquarters is located at Apumiri in Ubakala . The North consists of Ibeku and Ohuhu . Its Local Government council Headquarters is located at Ibeku . Umuahia's climate is classified as tropical. During most months of the year, there is significant rainfall in Umuahia. There

Enugu–Port Harcourt Expressway - Misplaced Pages Continue

1152-664: Was released out the 1.6 billion appropriated in the 2019 budget. A total of N24.67 Billion has been committed to the project since inception to achieve 33 per cent of the level of completion. In February 2021, the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola , gave an  update on the Lokpanta axis to the Enugu border is 98% completed, while the one on Port Harcourt boundary is almost 40% completed. However, in September 2021, House of Representative ordered probe of failing Enugu-Port Harcourt road undergoing reconstruction urging

1188-405: Was renamed to Old Umuahia. The hyphenated Umuahia-Ibeku became a source of dispute, given that neighboring towns such as Ohuhu, Umuopara, Afugiri, Ofeme, etc., were constituted into the Umuahia administrative area, entitling them to be under Umuahia, not Umuahia – Ibeku, since Ibeku is on the same level as the constituent parts of Umuahia. Umuahia, though comprising several villages and communities,

1224-473: Was repulsed with help from HMS Pioneer , but the Gladstone administration subsequently denied Goldie's attempt to procure a government charter in 1881, on the grounds that the international rivalry might occasion unnecessary conflict and that the united firm was undercapitalized for the expense of genuine colonial administration. Goldie first began addressing the administration's concerns by increasing

1260-563: Was revoked in 1899 and, on 1 January 1900, the Royal Niger Company transferred its territories to the British Government for the sum of £ 865,000. The ceded territory together with the small Niger Coast Protectorate , already under imperial control, was formed into the two protectorates of Northern Nigeria and Southern Nigeria . The company changed its name to The Niger Company Ltd and in 1929 became part of

1296-492: Was then able to maintain 30 trading posts along the river, and ruin its competition in a two-year price war: by October 1884 all three had permitted him to buy out their interests in the region and the NAC's annual report for 1885 was able to crow that it "remained alone in undisputed commercial possession of the Niger–Binué region". This monopoly permitted Britain to resist French and German calls to internationalize trade on

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