Abia Assembly Wants NDDC Contractor Handling Umunwanwa Udo Obizi Road to Return Back to Site

The Abia State House of Assembly during Plenary today called on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to return back to the Umunwanwa Udo Road site located at the Umuahia South Local Government Area of the State over the dilapidated condition of the Road.

The House while deliberating on the issue under Matter of Urgent Public Importance as brought by Member representing Umuahia South State Constituency, Hon Barr Jerry Uzosike, on the dilapidated state of the ngodo umunwanwa Road, Olokoro Bridge and the deplorable state of Umunwanwa – Obizi – Mbaise Road, frowned at the manner contractors of the Niger Delta Development Commission abandon their road contracts In Abia State.

Hon Barr Jerry Uzosike while Presenting the Matter on the Floor of the House during Plenary on Wednesday said erosion was about cutting out his constituents from the State Capital.

He called on the House to urge the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to return their contractors to site.

“Mr Speaker, Umunwanwa Road was awarded by NDDC to link Imo State, the contractor started work and abandoned the road shortly after.

“Mr Speaker, the road is completely cut off, the petroleum pipeline in that axis is now over 20ft above the cut off level.

“Sometimes, natural ruptures force petroleum to begin to leak from this pipeline; the erosion has also destroyed the Umunwanwa Primary School built by this Government.

“Before the coronavirus pandemic, the report of NDDC claimed to have done over 45 per cent of that road which was worth Millions of naira and Mr Speaker, their son is in this House”, he lamented.

Continuing, the Lawmaker said, “Mr Speaker Sir, Distinguished Colleagues, a wide gulf has been created cutting off my constituents in the affected area from the rest of their community, thereby causing hardship for my constituents, and we can only imagine what would happen as the rains Intensify”, he said.

On the Olokoro River Bridge which he said was also about to be cut off, the Lawmaker prayed the House to direct NEWMAP to quickly move to the bridge.

Contributing to the Matter, the Lawmaker representing Osisioma Ngwa North State Constituency, Rt.Hon Kennedy Njoku, Umuahia North State Constituency, Hon Kelechi Onuzuruike, Isialangwa North State Constituency, Hon.Ginger Onwusibe, Deputy Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Uchendu, all sought the quick intervention of the House on the Matter of Urgent Public Importance and Motion as brought by the Lawmaker representing Umuahia South.

The Speaker, Rt Hon Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji, thanked the Lawmakers for their support to the matters presented by Hon Jerry Uzosike.

“All we can do as a House of Assembly is to bring the attention of the NDDC on the state of the road that the contractor claimed to have done 45 per cent, attaching all the relevant pictorial evidence on it and also for us to bring the attention of the State through the Ministry of Environment, and NEWMAP to the situation”, he said.

The House subsequently resolved to draw the attention of the Niger Delta Development Commission to the state of the road which their contractor claimed to have done 45 per cent work on.

The House also called on the Abia State Ministry of Environment alongside NEWMAP to move to the Olokoro River Bridge and arrest the situation there.