A community leader in Ekwuluobia Anambra State, Mr. Kenechukwu Onwunzo, has called on the State Government to fulfil its campaign promises to Ndi Anambra, which included constructing 111 roads before the end of 2018.
He made the call why addressing our correspondence at an event at Ekwuluobia, he said that the Obiano’s administration was yet to fulfil its 2018 promises on roads rehabilitation and construction.
“Gov. Willie Obiano has promised Anambra people that not less than 111 roads will be completed before the end of 2018 but the actualisation of these promises remains a mirage.
He alleged that in Obiano’s six years administration, roads in Anambra grew from bad to worse, even worse than what obtained during the military administration in the state.
Onwunzo said that abandoning roads in the state had a multiplier effect on the economic lives of the people, as almost all inter-city roads were death traps longing for rehabilitation.
“Virtually all the roads in the state have potholes, raising the questions, as to who has the responsibility of working on the roads,” he said.
He said that the level of neglect of roads in the state had created room for bitter complaints especially among transporters of farm produce over the movement of their harvest to markets.
“Other public utilities are also in deplorable conditions but that of bad roads is heartbreaking, it spoils cars, raises the cost of living, it’s too bad,” he said.
He said that the development had in time witnessed protests from over four communities, namely Awgbu, Achina, Ekwulobia, Umunze, Eziagu, and Awka North.
Onwunzo noted that the Obiano -led administration at inception was received by the people with high hopes and expectations of performance.
“There is no single road in Anambra that is without a pothole from hinterlands to Urban areas, this is not the type of governance we yearn for,” he said.
Mr Marcel Ifejiofor, Anambra Commissioner for Works, however, described the claims of Onwunzo as unfounded, as the state had enjoyed good roads under the present government more than any other government since its creation.
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Ifejiofor said that all roads in the state were being attended to, only that the raining season had delayed the level of work on rehabilitation and construction of roads in the state.
He said that the ministry of works had been working doing repairs all over, constructing new roads in hinterlands, where roads had never been constructed since the creation of the state.
“Go to places like Ogbaru, Omor, Aguleri-Otu, what you will marvel at what you will see, Willie is working and detractors cannot stop us,” he said.
“We assure the people of deserved commitment in providing quality road network, only that it will be phase by phase, every community in Anambra must be attended to,” he said.
The commissioner said that Obiano was committed to his promise of good governance to the people and had been very responsive to their needs. (NAN)