Abia state government has reacted to the news which went viral yesterday, where in a reverend father took his members to protest over the deteriorated state of the Ngwa road in Aba.
Recall that ABACITYBLOG had published a post where in the Reverend whose name is identified as Okechukwu, led members of his church to pray and also stage a peaceful protest over the deplorable state of Ohanku road in Aba Worried by the deplorable state of the road which he and his members use frequently, the clergyman led his parishioners to protest over the road and also pray for God to intervene and get the road fixed as soon as possible.
Reacting to this, Abia state commissioner for information Chief John Okiyi Kalu in a press statement posted on his Facebook timeline said the road is being worked on.
According to the commissioner, As the priest was inside the water taking pictures, the contractors of the N27.4b project covering the area are also on location doing palliatives and creating alternative routes prior to commencing work on the major roads in the contract.
He wrote:
Work is ongoing around Ngwa Road axis of Aba
One of the attached pictures was shared on social media of a priest who entered mud water around Ngwa Road two days ago and was purportedly praying for the road to be fixed.
Kindly permit me to tell you a few things about that road where the priest was pictured kneeling and praying without making anyone look like a hypocrite.
1. NDDC awarded that road, Ohanku, and already paid about N1b to the contractor. I don’t know if the priest is aware or not but if he has been living in that area he probably was among those who recently celebrated that the road has been done by one Abia opposition politician.
2. With the subsisting NDDC contract no state government can legally take over the road project without bottlenecks.
3. Unimpressed by the continued deteriorated state of the road, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu courageously included it in the N27.4b World Bank assisted Watershed Management Project that also includes reconstruction of Obohia, Ngwa Road etc despite its failed subsisting NDDC status
4. As the priest was inside the water taking pictures, the contractors of the N27.4b project covering the area are also on location doing palliatives and creating alternative routes prior to commencing work on the major roads in the contract.
If you go to Ngwa Road right now you will spot the contractors.
5. Abia State Government led by Dr Okezie Ikpeazu is set to reconstruct that road in a manner that will even shame the Devil. The new road project will include the most ambitious watershed management effort ever executed around where we used to know as Ndiegoro area of Aba that made Late Dee Sam Mbakwe cry.
The Scriptures admonish us to pray but also warn us against praying amiss…
Thank you.
