The yet to be used flyover in Owerri, Imo State capital may go down if what Trumpeta learnt from government circle is anything to be taking serious.
Owerri parades only but one flyover that runs as a bye pass from Egbeada end of Onitsha Road crossing Akwakuma/Amakohia to Orji area.
The flyover was an initiative of former governor Ikedi Ohakim which commenced in 2010. The entrance of former governor Rochas Okorocha into office saw the removal of Reynolds Construction Company; RCC, the initial handlers of the project, for another contractor.
Trumpeta notes that since the flyover project was completed and partially commissioned by the Okorocha government before he left office, it has not been opened to commercial use by motor operatives. This may not be unconnected to structural defects noticed by people of the state after professional warnings from engineers against putting it into use.
Trumpeta however learnt that as the present administration is demolishing projects of former governor Okorocha, it considered substandard, the fly over will join.
Already, the two tunnels on Porthacourt Road, Owerri, considered to be of poor quality and awaiting disaster to road users have been demolished and remodeled by the state government which indicates that the fly over will follow suit.
Giving reasons why the fly over may go down, information commissioner, Hon Mbadiwe Emelumba while disclosed that “it was more interested in safeguarding the lives of the citizens rather than the preservation of the disgusting and harmful legacies of the Okorocha administration which it claimed constitutes serious threat to lives”.
It dismissed allegation by former governor Rochas Okorocha that the government was demolishing his legacy projects including the Imo International Conference Centre.
In a statement issued in Owerri, yesterday, Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Declan Emelumba regretted that Okorocha was placing his ego above the safety of the citizenry.
Emelumba said it was by sheer grace of God that the centre did not collapse and claim innocent lives before now.
According to him, the government has the responsibility to secure the lives of both citizens and visitors by ensuring “that anything that constitutes a threat to them is addressed”
The commissioner noted that experts had since advised government that both the international conference centre and majority of projects executed by Okorocha, including the scandalous tunnels were substandard and hence threat to the safety of people.
He wondered the kind of pleasure the government would derive from the demolition of facilities built with taxpayers money.
“Those projects were built with taxpayers money and not Okorocha’s personal funds. What is at stake here is the safety of people, not non existent legacies.”
Emelumba said the only legacies left by Okorocha for Imo people were massive looting of state resources, tyranny, lawlessness nepotism and substandard constructions
“It is instructive that two so-called inland bridges built by Okorocha have collapsed, the police headquarters he built on Port Hacourt road is falling apart, so are all the other projects he built.”
The commissioner noted that it was laughable for Okorocha to accuse Gov Hope Uzodimma of not constructing roads whereas the Chukwuma Nwoha, Relief Market, World Bank roads, the Muhamadu Buhari road linking Port Hacourt road through federal Secretariat to World Bank, among 42 others were testimonies to Uzodimma’s massive investments in road infrastructure.
He also declared that the remodeling of roundabouts in Owerri were conspicuous to debunk the lie by Okorocha that “only block work exists there.”
Emelumba said no amount of bare faced lies and blackmail by Okorocha will stop the Government from its primary duties of protection of lives and property of Imo people and visitors.
