David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka
The vice presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last election, Mr. Peter Obi, has asked the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, to always put his age into consideration in all he does, describing him (Ngige) as being too old for mischief-making.
Obi further told Ngige to focus his energy on how to make Nigeria work rather than continuing to engage in mischief.
The PDP vice presidential candidate in the last election, who spoke through his Media Adviser, Mr. Valentine Obienyem, in a statement made available to journalists, was reacting to statements allegedly made by Ngige that he was ashamed of the quality of roads constructed by his successors.
Obi, through Obienyem, wondered why Ngige loves attacking him, who had not, except during electioneering, attacked him (Ngige), but rather compliments him on his modest achievements on roads.
According to the statement, “What are most condemnable in Ngige’s attacks are the lies he tells just to bring Obi down. How could he mention roads such as Abatete-Nteje-Aguleri-Otuocha Road, Igboukwu-Ezenifite-Umunze and Iseeke Roads, and deliberately forgot that Obi did greater portions of those roads?”
Obienyem said it was instructive that over 90 percent of the roads Ngige mentioned were done in his local government area.
He said though Obi used local contractors in line with his policy of supporting his own people, just like he supported Innoson and other industrialists in the state, majority of the roads Obi did, like the Umueze-Anam-Nmiata Road was done by RCC; Ayamelum and Onitsha Roads done by Nigercat; Head bridge-Upper Iweka Road was done by the CCC.
Obienyem in the state opted to take Ngige round some roads Obi did such as “Awka-Amawbia dual carriage Road; Old Nkpor-Abagana-Awka Road; Adazi-Obeledu-Akwaeze-Igboukwu Road; Igbarian-University Road; Ichi Road; Nkwo Okija; Umunze Anam-Mmiata Road; Nkweleezunaka bypass; over 30 roads within Onitsha GRA; over 10 roads within Onitsha Habour industrial area; the six- lane dual carriage road from Head bridge to Upper Iweka; Upper Iweka-Umunya Road; the Nkpor flyover built in collaboration with the federal government which can even contain a train line; Obosi bypass; Awka Road; Oguta Road; Old Oba-Nnewi Road; Mmiri John Road ( Ojoto); Creek Road among others for Ngige to see that the roads are still solid like the Rock of Gibraltar.”
On what Ngige said on roads not being maintained, Obienyem said Obi always included money for road maintenance in his yearly budget, and that he maintained all the roads in the state by patching potholes and annually re-silting the culverts so that the roads could stand the test of time even during the rainy seasons.
He said: “Ngige didn’t develop massive erosion cutting the road at Uke which Obi did; Abatete-Oraukwu road developed similar erosion which Obi also did; the Nimo-Neni-Awka-Etiti road was the same and only made passable because Obi was maintaining it. Today, Neni-Awka-Etiti Road that he (Ngige) did is one of the worst roads in Nigeria.”
Continuing, Obienyem said: “Knowing the importance of road maintenance, shortly before he left, Obi set up the Anambra State Road Maintenance Agency with full compliments of brand new equipment. He also left over N 4 billion in the Ministry of Works for road maintenance before he handed over. We have the account details and other relevant evidence.”
Obienyem advised Ngige not to go to the area of comparing his government with that of Obi, saying the people of the state know the truth.
