From Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha
For embarking on road projects in their area, the people of Ogidi Community in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State have applauded Governor Willie Obiano for giving the state good governance, promising to vote for him massively in the forthcoming governorship election later this year.
The leaders of the Ogidi Community led by its traditional ruler, Igwe Alex Onyido, who trooped out en masse during the inspection of the ongoing project along Ogidi-Umuoji road, expressed happiness over the award of the road project which had been in deplorable condition over the years.
The 5.6 kilometres of road awarded to Tamad Construction Company, which would be completed in June this year with two-way drainage system, would ease off transportation problem of the people of the village, who are predominately farmers, as they would now easily bring out their farm produce to the three major markets in the town.
Igwe Onyido while expressing happiness over the road project thanked Governor Obiano for remembering the community in his infrastructural development despite the N20 million given to 178 communities in the state for choice projects.
“We want to thank Governor Obiano for what he is doing in Anambra State and Ogidi in particular for awarding and kicking-off of this road construction. This road is an important road in the state because it leads to about eight communities; from here it leads to Nnewi, Ukeh, Umuoji, Ojoto to even Imo State. The road is very important to us, that was why I came in person with my council of chiefs to inspect the road and express our joy to the governor.
“We are aware of the economic recession in the country and Anambra State is not left out but despite the lean revenue and allocation to the state, the governor has achieved this lot in projects, including the prompt payment of workers’ salaries. My Igwe-in-council and I have thanked the governor for finding the community worthy of this road project. We have a lot of farmers and peasants, living along this road. In the past we couldn’t pass here, there was a gully but now the road is passable. On behalf of the Ogidi community and the entire Ogidi Kingdom, we express our joy and happiness to the governor, we want to support him for this project.
“I want the contractor to do a good job and I will appoint a sub-committee that will from time to time come to the site for injection of the road to ensure that the contractor adhered to the terms, condition and specification of the road. We want to assure them that their security and safety are guaranteed. I want to tell you that since two years ago there is no case of kidnapping. So, you don’t need any security man to guard you here because you are safe,” Igwe Onyido said.
Also, a high chief from the community, Chief Sam Anyamutaku (Omeokachie), said that the community was very grateful to Obiano for the road project.
“We want to thank Governor Obiano for the road project and at the same time assure him of our support for his second term in office. The population of the people, living in this area is about 10, 000 and they are predominately farmers. This road is very important and it leads to so many other communities in the state,” he noted.
The Traditional Prime Minister of Ogidi (Onowu), Chief Ifeanyi Udoukwu, also said that the entire community and their neighbours were very happy with the governor on the road project, which he said when completed would bring more development to the community.
“The entire people of Ogidi are happy, you can see that the people that matter in Ogidi are here. We are very grateful to Governor Obiano for this road project. Due to the economic crunch in the country you can’t find any state in the South-East that are constructing road, it is only in Anambra State. The state workers received the alert of their salaries on December 20, 2016. The community is supporting him for the second tenure, we are going to vote for him massively during the forthcoming election. If he continues in second tenure, Ogidi will be very happy, Idemili North and Anambra State as a whole will be very happy.
“The impact of this project to the community when completed will be enormous, we have markets here like Oye Olisa, Nkwo Ogidi and Affia Igwe markets and the community is predominately farmers, so the farm produce that will be coming from this area to those markets will be enough to feed the state; and other communities like Umuoji and Ukeh will also use the road to come to those markets in Ogidi. We have up to 10,000 people living in this area that had been cut off by the bad road who are now connected back to their kith and kin,” he pointed out.
The President General of Ogidi, Chief Jideofor Onobuogu, assured the contractors of their security within the period they would be on site in the community.
“We will give you maximum cooperation and support to ensure speedy completion of the project. In Anambra State there is security of lives and property put in place by our governor. I will like to make some appeal for the good drainage system of the road to enable the road to last when completed,” he said.
Another native of the community, Chief Chima Onwuzulike (Akuchukwu) commended the Obiano for the project, saying that during the rainy season the road was flooded, which caused serious damage to their farms.
He urged the contractor to hasten up the work to ensure the completion of the road project in order to ameliorate the sufferings of the people of the community on the road which has lasted for over 10 years.
In his remarks, the Site Engineer of Tamad Construction, Engr. Najdy Khoyre assured the community of the speedy completion of the project, saying that they would adhere to the specification and terms of the contract.
He said that the company would not compromise quality and promised to put culverts and drainage systems along the road to ensure that the road was solid when completed.