Obiano frowns at contractor, urged them to speed up work on Oba-Umuoji road

www.odogwublog.com reports that Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra state has frowned at the slow pace by which construction work was going on at Umuoji –Oba- Akwukwu road.
But he urged the contractor to ensure that not lesser that one kilometer of the road was completed and asphalted before the rains begin.
Governor Obiano made the statement during the road inspection visit at Oba while addressing Oba indigenes in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State.
His words: “I am happy to be here among Oba people. I came to look at this road. So far, I am not impressed at all by the slow pace of construction work going on at this road. But the contractors has assured me that before the rainy season, he would from this place ( Afor Oba market point) do 1 kilometer, fully asphalted.
‘’ I am happy with that assurance because this road is about 10.4km for the Akwukwu and across Oba to Umuoji. We say what we can and must do. The road has a bridge at the Umuoji point. Already the earth work/grading has been done. One can drive from here to the Umuoji end where they would do the bridge. The truth is that we are not going to finish the Bridge and all the drainages from here to Umuoji before the rains because of obvious reasons. But Oba people be rest assured that we are going to do at least one kilometer from this market fully asphalted to show you our seriousness”, Obiano said.
The Governor told the people that as the government gets more money they will put in to continue the work. He however reminded them that the country is facing recession and as such hunger and starvation had entered the country, saying that it has adversity affected the fund allocation received from the federal government.
“There is economic recession in the country there is hunger and starvation. It has negatively affected and reduced our resources. If previous administrations were receiving 100% allocation for federal, we are receiving an equivalent of 27%. But thank God that in this State we are still paying salaries as at when due, no debt is owed anybody unlike in so many states” he said
“Oba is a very good community. We the State government will help improve life of the people. Very soon we shall install a transformer near Rogenny Tourist Village to ensure a more stable supply of light in this area. Remember that last week we gave light to Orumba North and South which has been without electricity for about 11 years by installing a dedicated 33kv cable wire from Oji river power station to help the industries and macro rice farming industry Ufuma and environs”, Obiano said
Earlier the road construction contractor, Stefanutt Stocks Hapel, Contract manager, Mr. Freddy De Kleyn told the press that with proper mobilization, the 10.4km road including the pilling work for the bridge at Umuoji end would not last more than 18 months.
“The Oba- Umuoji road is about 10.4km. Starts from Oba Int’l market across, Oba till the stream across the river at Umuoji till the Catholic Church. We started about few days ago, but proper mobilization with proper funds in our side we shall finish the job around July/August next year. The pilling contractors for the bridge will take lots of money but we are ready to do our best”.
The president general of Oba patriotic union Chief Ifeatu Uzowulu challenged the governor, saying that, if the road eventually be constructed Oba people would surprise him during coming elections