These times are unsettling times for the people of Agulu community in the central senatorial district of Anambra State, the hometown of presidential candidate of the Labour party, Peter Obi.
Available information indicates the community has found itself in a mess as it battles with the realization that a State contractor charged with the construction of a general hospital in the community at a contract cost of over N190million swindled the community and state government and have failed to execute the same project.
According to information obtained from a leader in the community, Chief Benji Obi “Mbuze Agulu”, a contract for the reconstruction and refurbishment of the Agulu General Hospital was awarded to a construction company by the name, Vivid Construction Company, during the Peter Obi administration for the sum of N100million. The construction company is owned by an indigene of Agulu community who goes by the name Engineer Akpulu.
The contract was awarded eighteen [18] years ago.
Mbuze Agulu indicated that Engr Akpulu made away with the funds and failed to execute the project. For the duration of the Peter Obi administration, Engineer Akpulu’s construction firm did not mobilize to the site, and the then Governor failed to question the whereabouts of the money or the contractor.
With the arrival of the Willie Obiano administration, stakeholders in the Agulu community led by Chief Benji Obi approached the then Governor, Chief Willie Obiano to intervene and assist in getting the contractor to site to execute the project. The then Governor obliged and dispatched the then commissioner of health, Dr. Joe Akabuike to Agulu to resolve the issues holding the contractor from starting the project.
The then commissioner addressed a town hall meeting where the people of Agulu community were assembled. He told them that the contract sum had been paid to the contractor to execute the project and that the contractor had chosen to not execute the project, Engineer Akpulu was also seated inside the town hall with the community members.
The revelation and thus confirmation at the Town Hall by Commissioner Akabuike caused a ruckus as the youths of the community under the auspices of Ogene Agulu rushed the Contractor and began to initiate what would have resulted to a severe beating of the contractor. But the contractor was protected and/or rescued by the village security personnel who were present for the town hall meeting. Engineer Akpulu was then fined N100,000 by the community as penalty for not executing the project. He agreed to pay the fine.
Commissioner Akabuike under the direction of Gov Willie Obiano released an additional N45million for the project.
Months after the said town hall meeting, the contractor failed to mobilize to site. The contractor, according to Mbuze Agulu, claimed to have an agreement with the then Gov Peter Obi concerning the hospital project – which may have led to the non-execution of the project. The contractor did not elaborate on the nature of the agreement.
But the people of Agulu being mindful of the need to rehabilitate the Agulu General Hospital returned to the drawing table to raise additional funds to enable the contractor to start and complete the project. Agulu community residents in Lagos raised additional funds approximately N50million for the said project – this was during the Obiano administration. The raised fund was handed to the contractor.
And yet the contract remains abandoned.
Through this action, an organization led by Mbuze Agulu – by the name – Ogene Agulu sprung to action. They queried the non-execution of the project and the whereabouts of the monies released for the project. A sum totaling N195million.
Ogene Agulu charged themselves with unearthing the truth about the missing funds. The members decided to organize a peaceful protest to raise awareness over the missing money and the abandoned Agulu General Hospital.
As information of the planned protest leaked to the leaders of the Agulu community, the trajectory of the planned event took a different turn.
Both the President General of the Town Union, Oliver Afamefuna and the Monarch of the town, Igwe Innocent Obodoakor – working in tandem – decided to stop the protest.
According to Mbuze Agulu, Oliver Afamefuna and Igwe Innocent Obodoakor “and other collaborators” recruited the officers of the Nigeria Police Force [NPF] to stop the planned protest.
Through this effect, the officers of the NPF began “harassing” suspected members of Ogene Agulu. Mbuze Agulu stated that his “house was surrounded by mobile police men with over 24 vehicles heavily armed to the teeth. They blocked the entrance to my house, about 50 to 60 armed men, army, police, local vigilante. They were patrolling Agulu yesterday terrorizing everybody until I made a call to a higher authority who disengaged them. The operation was led by the Area Commander from the Ekwulobia police station.”
According to the leader of Ogene Agulu, it is the cabal consisting of Oliver Afamefuna, Igwe Innocent Obodoakor and other collaborators who made away with the contract sum [N195million], and it explains why they are battling to keep the truth from being exposed.
“They want to kill me. But the truth must come out. I want the State Government to know where their money is. This is the essence of what we are doing. For 18years, they ate our money and kept it a secret. I want the public to know that if anything happens to me to hold Oliver Afamefuna and Igwe Innocent Obodoakor responsible”, he said.
“Why are they interested in this case, if they were not part of the people that ate the money. The cabal ate the money that Peter Obi released during his administration”, stated Mbuze Agulu who continued that the Agulu cabals went to the extent of reporting his person to the police in Awka labelling him as anti-Soludo administration, while also simultaneously reporting him to the police in Agulu labelling him as anti-Peter Obi. In an effort to sway emotional support of the police officers stationed at the various locations away from his person.
Interestingly, while the personalities in Agulu clash over the state of the hospital, the Agulu general Hospital continues to suffer undue neglect in the hands of the government and general community. To the extent it lacks essential items required to operate and maintain a hospital.
Mbuze Agulu recalled visiting the hospital on one occasion and noticed an elderly woman being operated on without the necessary pain-killer to numb the pain. The medical operation was being conducted by a medical doctor from a neighbouring community in Awgbu. The elderly woman was groaning in pain.
According to Mbuze Agulu, there were no surgery beds or surgery lights. “I provided all those things”. He continued to add that he cleaned up the surgery room, added window blinds, repainted the room, declared to the hospital that all childbirths that the hospital will be “free of charge”. That he will pick up the tab.
“I then instructed my daughter who is a medical doctor in Poland to ship some medical equipment used to administer painkillers, which she did. Other indigenes of Agulu also donated other medical equipment such as oxygen tanks. All this medical equipment is still there now”.
