The Federal Government has approved the construction of the erosion –prone 2.2 kilometres of road linking Ukpo, the home town of the oil magnate, Prince Arthur Eze, with the headquarters of Zone 13 police formation in Dunukofia Local Government Area of Anambra State.
Many families living along the road had since vacated as gully erosion had submerged their houses.
Inspecting the road with officials of the Federal Ministry of Works, the former member of the House of Representatives for Anambra East and West, Dr. Tony Nwoye, who attracted the project said the construction of the road was to appreciate the support he had received from an indigene of Ukpo, Prince Arthur Eze in his political career. .
Although Nwoye had constructed two other roads in the community at a cost of about N300 million, he explained that the Oronto –Expressway road was very strategic as it passes through many villages, in addition to checking the erosion menace in the area.
Nwoye said: “This is a very big project that President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government wants to execute for the people of Anambra State, especially Ukpo community and other communities around it.
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“As you can see, some of the people who are living here have abandoned their homes because of gully erosion. The road was designed some years ago by the Federal Ministry of Works, Abuja through the Anambra State office of the ministry, but actual construction could not take off.
“Part of the road was completed at a cost of about N100 million and certificate issued, but this is the main one. By the special grace of God, it will be awarded officially before Christmas at the sum of about N2.2 billion.
“I want Ukpo community to hold the contractor that will execute the project accountable to avoid unnecessary delay.
I facilitated the design of this road and ensured that it is captured in the 2020 and 2021 budget of the federal government. I am doing this in honour of Prince Arthur Eze who has mentored me politically. I am also grateful to the Minister of Works, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, who has vowed that this road must be done.,
The Bureau of Public Procurement has already issued a certificate of no objection to the Federal Ministry of Works, which means that the ministry is set to present it to the federal executive council because of the amount involved.
“I want to assure the people that in less than three weeks from now, the contract will be awarded and hopefully, once the 2021 budget is passed, money will be made available so that funding will not be a hiccup for the contractor.”
According to Nwoye, it was not the first time he was facilitating road projects outside his federal constituency, recalling that in addition to the two roads earlier facilitated by him in Ukpo, he had also done same in Onitsha.
“I have special interest in Ukpo because Prince Arthur Eze has done a lot for me, my followers and humanity. By next year, I will also do some roads across Anambra State. I am not holding any political office now but I will continue to contribute to the best of my ability towards the development of Anambra communities,” he said.