The problem with Ohanku road

In the heat of Okezuo Abia 2015 campaigns, Ohanku road in Aba, which is in a terrible state, was among the roads that Governor Okezie Ikpeazu used, while appealing for votes of our people in the area. He promised to begin reconstruction of the road within his first 100 days in office.

True to his promise, immediately after he was sworn-in, he instructed engineers at the Abia State Ministry of Works to do the assessment that will enable the state commence work on Ohanku road Aba.

Shortly after, the Management of Herbertech Nigeria Ltd came to see the Governor with a powerful delegation at the Governor's Lodge in Aba.

Their mission: to inform the Governor that they have a subsisting contract on Ohanku road from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). They provided documents to substantiate their claims.

Herbertech Nigeria Ltd pleaded with the Governor to speak to NDDC management to pay them so that they will move to site and do the job.

When the management of NDDC, led by the former Acting Managing Director, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, paid a courtesy visit to Governor Ikpeazu at the Government House in Umuahia, the issue of Ohanku road and payment to the contractor handling the road was discussed extensively, and the commission promised to pay their contractor-Herbertech Nigeria Ltd.

As it stands, ABSG can't go into the road. All we can do is to plead with NDDC to pay Herbertech Nigeria Ltd so they can move to site.

Bearing in mind the recent change in management at the commission, there may have been unavoidable delays in the processing of payments. But I spoke with a senior management staff of Herbertech Nigeria Ltd and was told that their request for payment was approved in December 2016. Give and take, they're hoping for actual payment in February.

For us in Abia, we understand the plight of our people on that road, and would have loved to send one of our best contractors to the road, but you now know the story and trouble with Ohanku road. Therefore, let us be patient with the contractor-Herbertech Nigeria Ltd and NDDC, in the hope that they will do the needful.

That is the trouble with Ohanku Road.

*Enyinnaya Appolos, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, writes from Isiko.

People living in that area are really suffering. Government should do something fast