Motorists and users plying the very strategic ever busy Onitsha-Enugu Federal highway have cried out to President Goodluck Jonathan, and the federal government to review the contract for the reconstruction of the road and give it to a more capable and committed Julius Berger Nigeria Ltd.
Those who spoke to journalists under the aegis of concerned motorists and citizens yesterday said it has become obvious that contractor presently handing project has failed in the performance.
Their spokes person Mr John Chukwuma said the road is so strategic to the exixtence and inter relationship of the rest of the country with the south east zone that only a leading road construction company should ordinary get the job in the first instance.
According to him, “The road we are talking about connects many Igbo speaking states and
even the South-south, a whole lot of time is wasted while meandering through the road that has become a death trap”
Chukwuma alleged that there is hardly any week that a fatal accident is not recorded on the road most especially at Umunya point of the road. He pointed out that the contract was awarded in 2007 and was meant for completion two years later.” Its five years now that the contractor is meant to complete the road, since we have lost a great deal of lives and properties and the government seems not to be bothered ”
The spokesman expressed worry that roads in the south east are always awarded to contractor that can not do a good job which he said gives an indication of conspiracy against the Igbos.
The concerned motorists said that their patience with the CCC the contractor handling the project is exhausted and as such want the President Dr Goodluck Jonathan to effect the much needed change to put an end to the collosal waste being exprienced on the Onitsha- Enugu
express way.
Mr Chukwuma also beckoned on the state governor Mr Peter Obi to
carry out a remedial work on the road most especially at the teribble
point at Umunya because that are perishing on the road are majorly
Ndigbo.
He however threatened that his group would mobilise the Igbo youths
to push the present contractor away from site as well as block the
road to all users if something is not done about it on time.” the
unfriendly people are killing us in the north and deporting us from
the west , we can no longer afford this destructions home and abroad
and thats why we want Julius Berger to handle the project so that this
carnage can stop in our territory”
All efforts to hear from the contractor presently handling the
project proved abortive as the site manager was said to be away on
official duty.
