In what could be termed as policy somersault, the government of Owelle Rochas Anayo Okorocha has adopted another strategy in its quest to manage the number of road projects it can complete.
The desire of Imo people to have all the opened roads put in proper shape may be a mirage as the state government has changed gear in the number of road projects to be completed by the present administration.
According to the state Governor, Owelle Okorocha during an interactive session with contractors handling road projects in the state, all the roads opened up in the state by way of grading will not be completed by his administration. Rather, the state government will handle only 19 kilometer roads in each of the 27 local government area of the state. The sudden reduction from the proposed 25 kilometers roads to 19 kilometers roads is coming at the behest of the state Governor, who it was learnt had a crucial meeting with members of the State House of Assembly three days ago to deliberate on the road projects.
The Governor, it was gathered reached a deal with the lawmakers to allow each of them nominate three roads for completion in their constituency. Okorocha noted that since it has become difficult to complete all the roads opened by his administration, few privileged ones should be completed and the privileged ones would be nominated by the honourable members of Imo House.
At the meeting with the worried contractor at the Government House, Wednesday evening, the Governor told them that the roads to be completed are part of the lawmakers constituency projects and they would be the supervisors. Okorocha charged the contractors to cooperate with the state lawmakers warning that the roads must be ready before December and those found wanting and unfit to handle the roads would be sanctioned.
The Governor did not end his address without expressing dismay over the dismal performance of some contractors who did shoddy jobs.
Imo Trumpeta learnt that the new development forced the state government to categorize all the road projects to ensure they were put in good condition to enable users access the roads said to be in terrible conditions after the initial earthwork and pouring of red mud. The contractors were informed that Grade A roads are the ones to be asphalted with drainage and shoulder while Grade B and C will receive sand filling and grading respectively.
Meanwhile, the new government resolve has not gone down well with contractors and communities alike who showed regret in Okorocha’s volte – face on road projects. Some of the contractors who spoke to our correspondent after the meeting noted that government has short – changed them in the new development as they had sourced for funds and mobilized logistics to complete their jobs hoping that government would fulfill its own side of agreement.
A contractor who does not want his name in print said “this is a funny tale from a government.
How can you ask somebody to “go and do” a road project to a certain level before receiving mobilization and you turn back to say otherwise.
This government is insincere, I regret picking road contract”.
Communities in the state are worse hit as their roads may not be considered in the new arrangement if the decision to do only 19 kilometers roads (3 each) in the 27 LGAs in the state.
Another source disclosed that the decision to make the lawmakers supervisors of the road projects which are their constituency projects is to shut out of the elected local government chairmen who are battling in the court to retain their position at the councils.
