Abia Group Warns Against Politicization Of Umuahia-Ikwuano-Ikot Ekpene Road
Information reaching Naija News House that Abia Group Warns Against Politicization Of Umuahia-Ikwuano-Ikot Ekpene Road
By Chijindu Emeruwa
An socio-cultural body under the auspieces of Nzuko Ikwuano-na-Umuahia Citizens, (NUIC) in Abia, southern region, says it frowned at the activities of some unscrupulous individuals to blackmail a federal lawmaker from Abia state, Hon Sam Onuigbo over the dilapidated state of Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene federal road.
Onuigbo represents the Ikwuano/Umuahia North/South federal Constituency of Abia state at the House of Representatives, Hon Sam Onuigbo.
This is even as the NUIC affirmed what it termed as, effective representation by the national Assembly member, stating also in a clear term, that Onuigbo has rised the bar in Infrastructural development of Ikuwano-Umuhia areas.
In a statement signed by the leader, Kenneth Ekeleme, and issued to journalists in Umuahia, on Sunday, the Abia socio-cultural group, maintained that the Representative has demonstrated uncommon leadership on the attractions of meaningful projects that are deared to the people.
The NIUC noted with dismay at the antics of disguntled individuals using unverifiable online media platforms to malign the lawmaker under the accusation of misrepresentation, which they will in return, therefore, accuse the latter of failing to attract federal government’s intention to refix the bad Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene road to forestall wanton destruction of lives of the people on the said highways.
The group also noted that the lawmaker had severally prevailed on the relevant federal authorities for necessary and urgent intervention to the deplorable road, which today,ongoing palliative work is being carried out on the sections of the bad road.
According to the NIUC, “we want to advise the general public not to be deceived by the fifth columnists and their sponsors with this latest media propaganda. We want to state in unequivocal terms that Hon Sam Onuigbo has remained committed and unrelenting in the provision of democratic dividends to the wonderful people of great Ikwuano/Umuahia North/South federal constituency. Hon Onuigbo has remained focused on the issues concerning the dilapidated condition of the Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene road as he has worked hard and attracted the the attention of Federal Ministry of Works and Housing which culminated in the first palliative works in 2016-2017 and the eventual award of the road for total reconstruction and rehabilitation in 2019.
It explained that , “It is an incontrovertible fact that Hon Onuigbo is genuinely concerned about the sufferings and pains the people plying the federal road have been facing due to the abandonment of the road by the contractor. The abandonment was caused by lack of funding by the federal government of Nigeria and not due to lack of consistent efforts by Hon Onuigbo to draw the attention of appropriate federal government agencies. It is a verifiable assertion that Hon Onuigbo has written over a dozen letters to the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing and also to the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA), on the urgent need to do emergency repairs on the badly failed sections of the road. Additionally, the federal lawmaker has requested FERMA to follow-up with proper palliative works for the whole stretch of failed sections once the dry season sets in. The federal agency responded positively to that request. The agency had already started moving materials to the failed sections of the road before the unfortunate incident of the accidental death of the female student of MOUAU last Sunday.
According to the Igbo organization, “It is not in doubt that Hon Sam Onuigbo has been following up on the need for the Federal Government to provide adequate funding that will enable the contractors handling the total reconstruction of the road to come back to site. He has remained consistent since he first assumed office till now”.
“Even the recent protest by the students of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, attracted commendation and applause from Hon Onuigbo. He commended them for lending their voices in the battle to get the Federal Government to do what is right for our people. The people, residents and commuters plying the road deserve better and Hon. Onuigbo aligns with the people in this belief”.
“The Nzuko Ikwuano na Umuahia Citizens Worldwide, urges the wonderful people of great Ikwuano/Umuahia North and Umuahia South as well as commuters to cooperate with the federal agency brought by the federal legislator to carry out palliative works on those deadly spots on the federal road. We warn those trying to politicize the Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene Road to desist forthwith, because, we will no longer tolerate and accept this evil machination by devious politicians, to cast aspersion on the person of Hon Onuigbo through the use of online media platform where they publish misleading stories. We are aware that those evil politicians instigating this have been in power for donkey years but yet the stock of the state continues to depreciate under their hegemonic grab of the state’s resources. This is perhaps part of their evil plot to malign the legislator from the people so that they can have a short route to the Ikwuano/Umuahia federal constituency seat. They should wait till 2023. This is not the time to politick with the welfare of the people although we know that that is all they do”, it however concluded.
