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The new Chairman Senate Committee on Solid Minerals, Senator Osita Ngwu, has pledged to constructively engage with relevant agencies of the Federal Government to ensure that all ongoing and abandoned road projects within Enugu West Senatorial District of the state are completed within the shortest possible time.
Following a tour of a few ongoing projects, he addressed his people, promising that via his positive interactions with the appropriate ministries and agencies, the government will give all ongoing and abandoned projects in the district the attention they deserve.
During the tour, the legislator visited Amukwu Affa in the state’s Udi Local Council to learn how the road project was progressing after IDC Construction Limited resumed its operations.
He also led an entourage comprising local council officials and some party members to inspect the ongoing Udi North Ring Road, which covers the Ikedimkpa-Amokwu-Egede Umuoka-Ojieyu-Awhum-Umulumgbe stretch.
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The road was attracted by former Senator Ike Ekweremadu in 2018 with only 15 per cent of the project executed due to non-release of sufficient funds to the contractors.
During the visit, a representative of the company informed the senator that the contract was for a 14-kilometre ring road awarded in 2018 at the cost of N6b, explaining that the 15 per cent deposit of the contract sum paid was used to construct four kilometers of the road.
He further stated that construction work on another four kilometres has commenced following the release of a N2b SUKUK fund to the contractor. The company representative, who promised that the stretch would be completed before Christmas, appealed to Ngwu to assist the company in getting more funds released to cover the entire 14km.
He assured that the company has the necessary equipment and manpower to complete the road in eight months before the next rainy season if funds were available.
Addressing the contractor and the people of Affa community, the lawmaker thanked the construction company for mobilising to the site and effectively making progress on the project.
“What we notice is that sometimes the reason projects fail is that releasing N100m for a N10b project is not even enough to bring the equipment to the site, and this delays the project. So, thank you for the commitment; even with the weather, you are here to work. We will give you all the support. I will make sure everything goes well. We are still going to make sure that we talk to the government so that extra funds will be released,” he said.
Ngwu also appreciated his predecessor in the Senate, Ekweremadu, for his foresight and efforts in attracting the project to the community.
He urged members of the community to continuously support the Enugu State government and the Federal Government, promising that he would do all within his ability to ensure the ministry overseeing the project releases funds to enable the completion of the road and other roads within his constituency.
