The lawmaker representing Ogbaru Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, under the Labour Party (LP), Honourable Afam Victor Ogene, has commenced N5 million in maintenance work on the road connecting communities that constitute Ogbaru Federal Constituency in Anambra.
It was gathered that Hon. Ogene’s action is in response to the suffering his constituents are passing through due to the deplorable condition of roads in the area.
There was jubilation when the lawmaker inspected the remedial works along the Uga-Atani-Iyiowa Road, as enthusiastic supporters and residents of the area trooped out to receive him and also express their happiness over his positive intervention on the road.
Accompanied by Chief Valentine Ozigbo, a Chieftain of the Labour Party, Hon. Ogene, while addressing both party and nonparty members at Iyiowa Odekpe, disclosed that the project is executed under his voluntary sponsorship because he and his political party, the Labour Party, LP, were deeply concerned about the dilapidated nature of major roads in Ogbaru federal constituency.
Ogene said the National Assembly is not a place for the award of contracts like road construction but noted that a legislator can make life better for the people, and it was based on that premise that he decided to intervene in road maintenance.
He said the electioneering campaign is over while all eyes are on the judiciary over the post-election litigation, even as he expressed optimism that the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, will emerge victorious in court.
“Already Abuja is shaking because of Peter Obi. He (Obi) has stepped out into the arena, and there is no going back. When we stepped out during the campaigns, we promised to rebuild society, and it is a collective responsibility. There is another party in power in Anambra presently, and this is a kind of assistance to them because they are the ones who are supposed to take up this responsibility, the maintenance of this road. But if the government in Anambra decides to abandon us, we cannot reject ourselves. We have to do something to ensure that we can access our homes.”
Ogene also expressed sadness over the report that villagers in Nkwo Ogbakuba, Eke Ochuche, and Nkwo Atani do not sell anything in their markets again because the government blocked the Ekwusigo area due to ongoing construction work in that area.
He noted that road construction is a noble project, but the government should provide alternative routes for motorists to ply because that route is the major route where people come in to buy various agricultural products in Ogbaru.
He appealed to both the state and local governments in Anambra and Ogbaru to open one lane of the road so that people could access Ogbaru communities from that axis.
“I will try and see the local government transition chairman over this matter. The election is over, and governance has taken off. Whatever will be of utmost welfare to our people is what we shall undertake. We will not shy away from that and cut off ties for discussions on the best way forward with the APGA government in Anambra, but if we in the Labour Party get the opportunity to be in power in the state, we will show them the true face of good governance,” he said.
Ogene also disclosed that the road palliative would cost an initial sum of N5 million from the rough estimate given to him for the work from Uga Junction in Onitsha to Okpotu Uno community inside Ogbaru, where the Naval Base is located.
He also disclosed that there are several other places down the line in the area that have degenerated beyond remedial works but require full reconstruction, but he decided to take up the task to at least make the urban areas passable.
He said Ogbaru roads got bad after last year’s flood disaster, and that document about the condition has been forwarded to the relevant federal ministries. Motions to that effect will be moved when the House resumes sittings by September so that the road can get the required attention of both the state and federal governments.
On the looming flooding this year, Hon. Ogene recalled that he issued an advisory to that effect three weeks ago and reiterated the need for both the state and federal governments and their agencies to take proactive measures to ensure that the effect is mitigated and also provide food palliatives to the people who are at risk of losing their farms too.