Abia Community Sets For A Showdown With Abia Government Over An Attempt To Stop A Road Project Attracted By Alex Otti

 

The tension that enveloped Isieketa Autonomous community and its environ since last week following an alleged directive given to DDC contractors by the state government to stop a road project attracted by the 2015 governorship candidate of APGA, Dr. Alex Otti, is yet to abate.

According to Abia Facts investigation, trouble started when contractors handling the strategic Isieketa Mbawsi road, in Isialangwa South, which connects two LGAs of Isialangwa North and South, received a directive from the Isialangwa South L.G.A chairman, Mr. Ifeanyi Isikaku asking them to stop work on the road. 

The news of the directive circulated all over the area, which forced the leaders of the different communities to mobilize their people who trooped out to Ubaha Isieketa Civic Hall on Monday, 26th January, 2018 chantg anti Isikaku songs and threatening to deal with the L. G. A Chairman if he dares come to the area to enforce his directive. Interacting with the press who were invited to come and hear the complaints of the people, some members of the community which included Mr. Chukwudi Adindu of Amuha village,  Chief Edwin Njoku from Umuakpo Ovungwu, Chief Eze Ufomba  from Umuakwa and Mr. Kingsley Chidi Nwogwugwu from Amadi/Ezenwoke all expressed their joy that when they thought all hope was lost after more than fiftly years of having the road in dilapidation, Dr. Otti wiped their tears through NDDC which is constructing a very solid road for the people, and warned against any attempt to interrupt the project in the name of politics.

 

They explained that prior to now, the people lived in agony as they found it extremely difficult conveying their agricultural produce or doing any other business, without having to suffer immensely, and disclosed that since the commencement of the project, their story has changed. Reacting to the allegation levelled against him, the council chairman Mr. Isikaku confirmed that he did order the contractor to stop work because, according to him, the road had already been awarded by the state government for reconstruction, adding that about two kilometres of the road had been completed. Isikaku also alleged that the NDDC contractor had told him that the terms of the contract did not entail total construction of the Isieketa – Amuha – Umuehiri road which cuts across both Isiala Ngwa North and Isiala Ngwa South local governments.

“Somebody said he came to do a palliative work. I told him there is no where I will accept palliative work on a road the governor has awarded for reconstruction,” he said. But the protesters said there was political undertone in the action of the council boss, saying that the road project was attracted by the leader of APGA, Otti hence the move to deny him the credit, without the government considering the pain such interruption could cause the people. Investigation by however contradicted the claims of the LGA chairman that two kilometers of the road had been built by the state government, as there’s no such construction on the road. The construction of the strategic Isieketa-Mbawsi road was said to have been attracted by Dr. Alex Otti in 2017, while construction commenced a few weeks ago.

Source: Abia Facts News