The Transition Committee Chairman of Orumba North Local Government Area, Hon. Sir Ogo Ekwueme, yesterday led myriads of stakeholders in Orumba North, Orumba South and Aguata Local Government Areas to welcome the governor of Anambra State, Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo who was at Ufuma in Orumba North Local Government Area to flag off the 26.4 kilometers Amansea-Ndiukwuenu-Mamu Forest -Awa-Ufuma road.
Speaking in a welcome address, Ekwueme thanked the governor for living up to his campaign to Ndi Orumba by eventually coming to flag off the road which he said was of great importance to the people of the area as well as one of the key roads in Anambra through which the economy of the state could be boosted.
He said, “And as the Chairman, I can’t but ask for one or two things since you are here. There is a road which connects here from Amaetiti, Awgbu onto this road, I will ask that it will be given due considerations.”
He further thanked the governor for demonstrating uncommon love for the people of the area by appointing the sons and daughter of the local government into prominent positions in the state while pledging the total support of the people of Orumba North to the success of his administration in the state.
While thanking the governor for restoring peace and security in the area, he said, “On security, from Nanka, after the checkpoint there at Oko, all the way to Ajalli, the local government headquarters and even to Umunze, there is no other security point. So, I will ask that you look into it, there’s urgent need to put up a security check point either in Ufuma junction here or you take it upwards.”
In his address, the governor of Anambra State, Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo disclosed that he was in the area to flag off the 26.4 kilometers Amansea-Ndiukwuenu-Mamu Forest -Awa-Ufuma road which he said had been billed for completion in four months time with cement stabilization and guaranteed to last for a minimum of twenty years.
Assuring the people of Orumba North and South that they would drive from Ufuma junction to Amansea in about twenty minutes in the next four months, Soludo said, “This local government and the next one, Orumba South have been the local government that couldn’t access the state capital without going through several local governments and also, they are contiguous to the state capital because Ndiukwuenu and parts of Awa and Awgbu happened to be part of the State Capital Territory but they couldn’t get there. They will have to go round and round in order to get to the state capital which they are part of.”
“But I think in four months time, that will be history to the glory of God and as we said, the contractor handling the road is a reputable contractor and they are going to build the road to standard because we deserve nothing but the best and we hope they will give us the best.”
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Works, Anambra State, Mr. Ifeanyi Okoma revealed that “this is the first road in the whole Anambra State that will have soil cement stabilization and then, the good thing about this is that it’s going to be completed in four months.”
Okoma explained that the volume of the storm water discharge for the road was increased from 2.15 cubic meter per second to 4.21 cubic meter per second to make sure that issue of erosion was nipped in the bud.
While pointing out that all the designs for the road have been done, he added that “before my principal assumed duty, the state was indebted to the contractor. The road is 26.4 kilometers. The last administration was owing them, we paid up that, renegotiated it and paid them 50%.”
On his part, the Contractor, Mr. Michael said, “We gave a guarantee and we give this road twenty years and it will be delivered in four months. I will be back here on the first week of next month as I promised you to hand over the first two kilometers. I just want to thank you the governor, I thank you for partnering with us, I mean, it’s unbelievable and I also want to thank the governor especially for allowing us to be part of the solution. And from our side, I promise you to do the best quality of job.”
In his vote of thanks, the member representing Orumba North State Constituency in the Anambra State House of Assembly, Hon. Emeka Aforka thanked the governor for keeping his promise to the people of Orumba North and assured him of support and expeditious passage of any bill in the State Assembly that will facilitate the timely completion of the project and others across the state.
Dignitaries at the occasion include: the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Solo Chukwudobelu, the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr. Ernest Ezeajughi, Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs. Ify Obinabo, Commissioner for Works, Mr.Ifeanyi Okoma and the Transition Committee Chairman, Orumba South, Hon. Prince Neville Uchendu.
Others include: the Accountant General of Anambra State, Mr. Chukwudi Okoli, Secretary State-Local Government Joint Account Committee, Dr. Sir Leopold Ikwueto and the APGA House of Representatives candidate for Orumba North and South Federal Constituency, Sir Eric Eze, traditional rulers, Presidents-General, Women and Youth Leaders, Party stalwarts among others.
Photo: (L-R): Hon. Emeka Aforka, member representing Orumba North State Constituency in the Anambra State House of Assembly, Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo, the executive Governor of Anambra State, Hon. Ifeanyi Okoma, Anambra State Commissioner for Works and Hon. Ogo Ekwueme during the flag off ceremony of Amansea-Ndiukwuenu-Mamu Forest -Awa-Ufuma road at Ufuma on Saturday.
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