By Okey Maduforo Awka
Seven years after the award of federal road contract for Otuocha- Anam -Nzam – Innoma – – Iheaka- Ibaji- Ajegwe by the Federal government the lawmaker representing Anambra East and West Federal Constituency Chief Chinedu Obidigwe has succeeded in reviving the project to tune of N200 million.
It would be recalled that the project was first included in the budget and flagged off by the regime of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo but was not executed.
Similarly under the regime of Dr Tony Nwoye, the same project was included in that year’s budget seven years ago but the contractor could not mobilize to sight.
The the two hundred million naira approval was contained in the budget Registration number ERP12154694 and recorded in pg:1263 of the 2021 national budget following a motion moved by Hon. Obidigwe on the 9th day of June, 2020 where he lamented on the need to include the rehabilitation of the road in the 2021 budget, adding that when completed shall serve as the shortest root to Abuja from any part of Anambra and it’s environs .
According to Obidigwe while speaking with reporters in Awka the honorable minister for works and housing had written me earlier to acknowledge and assured him that work shall commence on the road within the time frame of the 2021 budget implementation action work , which was in response to my initial letter to his office.
The Otuocha-Anam -Nzam -Innoma –Iheaka-Ibaji section of Otuocha-Odulu -Ajegwe road is one project that every well-meaning indigenous sons and daughters of Anambra East and West federal constituency must surely aspire to see it’s completion due to its strategic social and agricultural importance; he said.
Originally, the residents of the above communities where the road in question cut across are mainly agregrian/ fish farmers and by extension formed over 70 percent of Anambra state food basket , unfortunately and most regrettable , these farms can’t enjoy a profitable market opportunity due to poor road network thereby subjecting them to perpetual low income earners and that explains why I have been making efforts at ensuring that the road is constructed.”
Obidigwe noted that the people of Anambra East and West Federal Constituency had in the past been neglected by successive administration’s in the country noting that the provision of basic infrastructure would to a large extent reduce rural Urban migration in the are while urging the federal government to expedite action in providing the area with power supply.
