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.
