As Imolites who have continued to cry and complain about the poor
condition of major roads, moved to ascertain the level of projects in
the state.
A visit to Mbaise and sister communities showed that bad roads have
paralyzed movement of people and equally created health hazard and
security risks for citizens especially those living in communities
like Eke Nguru, Nkwogwu, Oboama, Ezinihite, Ogbe Ahiara, Ehime Mbano
and other notable areas. From all indications, the roads in Aboh
Mbaise appeared to be the most dangerous.
It was discovered that the roads projects are unusable because of the
attitude of the road committee members and contractors. Initially, the
person in charge of Aboh Mbaise could not sign Bank Guarantee (BG) to
contractors handling road work in the area so that the can easily
collect their money.
Confirming this story, the Commissioner for Housing and Rural
Development, Barr. Iheukwumere Alaribe accused Hon. Mrs. Ngozi Pat
Ekeji, the member representing Aboh Mbaise in the state House of
Assembly for not signing the Bank Guarantee to the contractors and as
a result most of the roads were abandoned till date. The commissioner
condemned in strong term the actions of Hon. Mrs. Ngozi Ekeji on the
rural road contract in the area. Said he "She planned to make sure
that APC failed in the rural road programme in Aboh Mbaise". Alaribe
whois from the area raised eye brows on the issue by explaining that
Ngozi Ekeji used her power to allegedly turn things up side down and
made sure that only contractors that handled the road project in her
own community received their money. Commissioner Alaribe therefore
hinted that over N300m was returned back to the Governor since the
House member was unable to sign for some contractors so that banks can
release their money to them.
He further explained that the governor has decided to use direct
labour for the road job and a committee which he is part of it has
been inaugurated. "While the road construction work is being
fastracted in Aboh Mbaise PDP people who do not want it to be a
success went and hired rain makers to invoke rain fall to disrupt
construction work and this made contractors to run away for some
weeks". He hinted that not up to 5km road was fully completed in Aboh
Mbaise accusing Ekeji of having about N3.5 klm of the 5km in her
community. Other factors he complained of was the asphalting.
According to him, Chief Mercelinus Nlemigbo who is in-charge of the
asphalting of some roads in the area did not do a good job and this
affected the work of the contractors and consequently the roads are
now death trap. In her reaction, Hon. Ngozi Path Ekeji stated that she
will never sign for some one that she cannot identify. According to
her, the contractors are not well known to her to endorse for payment.
Hon. Alaribe who said he is a member of the new committee on road
contract job in Mbaise also hinted that the whole money was paid into
the account of one of them and it will be done through direct labour.
He said the money should be released according to demand but the
chairman of the committee, Dr. Ifeanyi Nwchukwu is making things
difficult coupled with the fact that the asphalt that are being
supplied are not up to standard. Alaribe said he rejected all the
asphalts expressing that Nlemigbo should go back and reasphalt the
ones he did not do well in the past.
Alaribe expressed disappointment with the handling of road contracts
in Mbaise as he ordered all the contractors to stop work until he gets
further clarification. He hinted that he wants to draw the attention
of Governor Rochas Okorocha to the road contract work before the job
will continue. The former Commissioner for Special Duties. Prince
Charles Onuoha while speaking to journalists in Owerri declared that
Mbaise communities are in distress.
He said that Okorocha's government has questions to answer on issues
of road contracts in Mbaise and other communities of the state.
According to him, the Governor has not been fair to Mbaise people
"Rochas is cheating Mbaise people". He however advised Mbaise people
not to worry much because the change is on the way adding that every
body should join hands and vote Rochas Okorocha and his so call rescue
mission group out of power in 2015.
--Trumpeta
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