By: Kenneth Udeh
Senator Orji Kalu alongside Senator representing Isiala Ngwa North/Isiala Ngwa South, Darlington Nwokocha has urged the Federal Government to investigate the delay in the completion of Umuahia-Umudike-Ikot-Ekpene, Aba-Ikot-Ekpene, and Aba-Osisioma to Port-Harcourt Roads.
Kalu, the immediate past Senate Chief Whip while supporting a motion raised by his Abia state legislative counterpart over the delay in the non completion of the roads, expressed dismay about the depleting state of the roads on the floor of the senate during plenary on Tuesday.
Drawing the attention of the Senate presided by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, Kalu said that despite the busy state of the roads it has continued to be neglected, according to him during his term as Governor at least over a thousand and seven hundred trucks plied the roads daily.
The former Abia Governor noted the figure is expected to have doubled in this current time, he lamented that due to the deplorable state of the roads a journey along the Aba-Osisioma to Port-Harcourt Roads which was supposed to take 20 minutes now takes over 2 hours, calling on the Federal Government to immediately intervene.
On his part sponsor of the motion Senator Darlington Nwokocha, noted that despite expenditure of over 15 Billion Naira on the roads only, the Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene Road had only attained 6% completion as of April 2023, while the Aba-Ikot Ekpene and Aba-Port-Harcourt roads continued to deteriorate.
The Senate Minority Leader noted further that the roads absolve heavy-duty vehicles and serve as the major alternative routes for the movement of essential goods and passengers across the States of the South Fast, South-South, Western, and Northern States of the country with access to important national economic establishments like the Export Zones, Cement geries, and large Scale Manufacturing Concerns.
Stressing the need for investigation, Darlington identified the road contractors for being responsible for the delay in the construction of the roads, he listed the companies as;”CGCC Global Project Nigeria Limited”, “Heartland & Raycon Construction Company Limited”, and “China Civil Engineering Construction Company” (CCICC) respectively.
He disclosed further there was no excuse for the delay as the companies have been funded by the NNPC-Limited pursuant to the Presidential Executive Order or signed in 2019 under the Road Infrastructure Tax Credit Scheme designed to boost Nigeria’s national RoadS” Sit and marginally reduce critical infrastructure deficit in the country.
Darlington explained the hardships caused by the roads; “the land-locked situation and deprivation of economic means created by the unending deplorable state of the roads have significantly contributed to the escalating insecurity activities in the South-East and the loss of several precious human lives on the affected sections of roads over time”
Lending his voice to the motion, Senator representing Anambra Central, Victor Umeh called for the hand over of the roads contract to another competent company preferably “SETRACO” which he said has a track record of constructing durable roads.
He said” The road is a nightmare, Ikot-Ekpene, Aba-Ikot-Ekpene take over two hours and the road to Port-Harcourt is very regrettable. The companies handling the roads are incompetent. Action must be taken to review the contracts.
After extensive deliberations the Senate urged the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing and the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) to urgently intervene and include the repair of failed portions of the roads especially in the Aba-Osisioma to Port-Harcourt, Umuahia-ikot-Ekpene, and Aba to ikot-Ekpene axis in the planned nationwide Federal Roads Repair during this rainy season as palliative measure while ensuring that a full and permanent solution is devised to urgently complete the projects.
The Senate also directed the Senate Committee on Works (when constituted) to investigate the award of the contracts for the reconstruction/rehabilitation of the roads, ascertain level of funds released, and utilization, the level of work completed and factors contributing to the unaccounted delays in the execution of the projects and report to the Senate within four (4) weeks for further legislative action.
The Senate also mandated the Ministry of Finance to provide quarterly comprehensive information on funds released for ongoing projects while the Senate President Godswill Akpabio promised to invite the Minister for Works and Housing and the minister for Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) for further investigations
