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By Sunday Ani
A group of Anambra State indigenes in the Diaspora, Nenyi Diaspora Progressives (NDP), has expressed shock and disappointment over the shoddy roads constructed by an indigenous contractor in Nneyi, a town in the Umueri community of Anambra East Local Government Area.
This was made known when members group visited Nigeria recently to participate in the 2023 Alommuo (New Yam) festival of Umueri. They said they were not happy to see that roads that were constructed barely two years ago, during the administration of former Governor Willie Obiano, had been completely washed off.
The group, therefore, called on the state governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, to launch an investigation to unravel the identity of the owner(s) of the company that was awarded the contract, so as to find out why such a bad job was done on the roads.
The NDP also called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to wade into the matter to bring the culprits to book, adding that the action of the construction company was nothing but economic sabotage against the people of Nneyi, the Umueri community and Anambra State in general.
Some online newspapers had over the weekend reported that the community leader of Nneyi, Chief Obeluo Anikpeh, had cried out over the shoddy work carried on the roads by a local construction company and had also called on the state Governor to investigate the contract.
Speaking to newsmen in Awka on Monday, the president of NDP, Chief Linus Obidike, said even though they were on their way back to the countries of the residence, they would follow up on the case to ensure that justice was done, as their people back home had been robbed by the company, and are now facing untold hardship instead of relief that the road was supposed to bring to them.
He said something urgent needed to be done before their farmlands, crops, schools and houses got submerged.
However, NDP lamented that villages had been cut off due to the bad roads, thereby making it difficult for inter-communal interaction, while food items and other commodities could not be moved to the markets.
He added that the worst affected area was the Afia Ama-Ogbu-Mgbede Umueri Road.
He noted that the community had been doing so many palliatives on the road before it went beyond their individual and group capacity.
He said: “We want to use this opportunity to call on our able and working Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, to come to the rescue of the Nneyi community in Umueri, as our schools, farmlands, crops and houses are under serious threat of submersion due to bad roads constructed by a certain contractor during the administration of Chief Willie Obiano.
“We believe that the roads were awarded in good faith and for the betterment of our community.
“However, the good gesture has turned into a nightmare as the roads which were badly constructed are now death traps. In addition, because they have been totally washed off, the roads are now part of the reason for the erosion threatening to submerge our houses, farms, crops and schools.
“It is so saddening that we came home to rejoice with our people during the celebration of the 2023 Alommuo festival only to meet our community roads completely washed off, a development that has brought sorrow to our people. This is not acceptable.
“NDP, therefore, want the state government to identify the contractor that was awarded the roads for questioning and sanction, as it has become obvious that the company just pocketed the money and whitewashed the road before disappearing. We call on the EFCC to investigate the matter and bring the culprits to book.
“In addition, we pray that Governor Soludo sends the state Commissioner for Works to come and see the roads in question, in order to ensure that urgent measures are taken to remedy the situation before it gets completely out of hand.
“NDP wishes to use this opportunity to thank Governor Soludo for his good works in the state, including the transformation of Anambra communities, and especially his recent declaration of free and compulsory education from nursery to Junior Secondary School (JSS 3) in public schools in the state. It would inspire all parents and guardians to send their children to school, irrespective of their financial standing.”
