Abia State Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, has complained to the management of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) over the abandonment of the Ohanku road project by the contractor and called on the commission to, as a matter of urgency, look into the plight of the residents of Ohanku Road with a view to alleviating their pains and sufferings caused by the commission’s inability to ensure the completion of the road which it awarded before the coming of his administration.
Governor Ikpeazu who made the call when he received in audience the management board of the Commission led by the Chairman of the Governing Council, Senator Victor Ndoma Egba, who were on a courtesy visit to the Governor at the Government House in Umuahia, expressed worry over poor quality of Road projects which the commission’s contractors are doing across state.
Governor Ikpeazu who described the current condition of Ohanku Road as ‘very very bad’ lamented that the popular road is in such a deplorable state because of the bad performance of the NDDC contractor who was awarded the road but has long abandoned the project and left the people in a difficult situation.
“Ohanku road is very important to our people and as we speak the road is in a totally deplorable condition from the Ngwa road end to the express road because of the bad contractor of the NDDC who has abandoned the road and subjected our people to an extremely difficult situation that will likely occasion health challenges.
“With that road tied up with your contract, our government cannot legally intervene to redress the situation as quickly as required, hence I have opted to use this opportunity to appeal to your commission to help us by ensuring that your contractor returns to site expeditiously and do good quality work to save our people from further pains and distress.”
The Governor who decried other poor quality jobs being executed in the state by NDDC contractors enjoined the commission to ensure the engagement of stakeholders and youths of oil producing communities to ensure the sustainability and longevity of projects in their area.
Speaking, chairman of the commission, Senator Victor Ndoma Egba, said the visit was to renew confidence with stakeholders of member states of NDDC as well as share thoughts and ideas on the direction the Commision is going with their mandate.
“As part of the necessary confidence building measures, the NDDC is trying to open up its activities to greater scrutiny, not just for stakeholders but the masses of the member states as well”, Ndoma said.
On their activities in Abia State, he stated that the commission has awarded 557 contracts valued at N82.2 billion. According to him, of the total contracts 166 are ongoing, 295 is completed while others were abandoned or stalled for various reasons.
Senator Ndoma informed the Governor that other new contracts have been awarded in Abia but the contractors are yet to be mobilized to work, while some projects have been terminated for different reasons.
The NDDC Chairman called on the Governor to identify projects where the government and NDDC can partner and deliver as joint ventures.
He agreed with the Governor on the need to quickly have a representative of the state in the NDDC board who will also help to communicate the commission’s activities to the people of the state and enhance needed cooperation.
The NDDC team include the Chairman, Sen. Victor Ndoma- Egba; The Managing Director, Mbong Nsima Ekere; The Executive Director Projects,Engr Sam Adjogbe FNSE; Executive Director Finance and Admin, Mene Derek; Olorogun Jaro Egbo.
