…Val Ozigbo lends support, tips Obi for a better Nigeria
From Aloysius Attah, Onitsha
Member representing Ogbaru Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, Hon. Afam Victor Ogene has commenced a N5m maintenance palliative on the road connecting major communities in Ogbaru area, Anambra State.
The action our correspondent gathered is in response to the daily suffering and harrowing experience of the people of the area over the deplorable condition of the major roads which has become practically impassable presently.
It was excitement galore yesterday when Hon. Ogene 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 the former governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP during the November 6, 2022 Gubernatorial election in Anambra state, Chief Valentine Ozigbo, now a Chieftain of the Labour Party, Hon Ogene while addressing both party and non party members at Iyiowa Odekpe disclosed that the project is executed under his voluntary sponsorship because himself 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 the road maintenance.
He said electioneering campaign is over while all eyes is on the judiciary over the post election litigation even as he expressed optimism that the Presidential Candidate of Labour Party , Mr Peter Obi will emerge victorious in the court.
“Already Abuja is shaking because of Peter Obi. He (Obi) has stepped out in the arena and there is no going back. When we stepped out during the campaigns we promised to rebuild the society and it is a collective responsibility. There is another party in power in Anambra state presently and this is a kind of assisting them because they are the one that is supposed to take up this responsibility, maintenance of this road. But if the government in Anambra decided 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 , Nkwo Atani doest sell anything in their markets again because government blocked Ekwusigo area due to ongoing construction work in that area.
He noted that road construction is a noble project but 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 government in Anambra and Ogbaru to open one lane of the road so that people can access Ogbaru communities from that axis.
“I will try and see the local government transition chairman over this matter. Election is over and governance has taken off. Whatever will be of utmost welfare of 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 Labour Party gets 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 N5m 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 requires full reconstruction but he decided to take up the task to at least make the urban areas passable.
He said Ogbaru roads got terribly bad after last year’s flood disaster and that document about the condition has been forwarded to the relevant federal ministries while 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 the risk of losing their farms too.
Also speaking, Chief Valentine Ozigbo said he has a special love for Ogbaru people which has manifested for a long time before now and also propelled him to visit them on a compassionate ground with several interventions during the previous flood disaster that ravaged the area.
Ozigbo said that Ogbaru people reciprocated that love in great measure during the last governorship election in Anambra by ensuring that he won convincingly in the local government when results were declared.
“The bond between Ogbaru people and i have been very strong before now talk more of now that you have a good representative in Abuja in the person of Hon. Afam Ogene. Whenever issues about Ogbaru are mentioned, you will always find me there. Hon Afam Ogene is not just a good man but he exhibits such in his character and that is the embodiment of what our leader, Mr Peter Obi stands for and has been guiding us to be. When a good man is in power, the people rejoice” he said.
He called on the Ogbaru stakeholders to set up a road maintenance endowment fund where groups and individuals could donate generously to maintain the roads in the area and make them passable.
Ozigbo also announced a donation of N1 million to the fund and another N200, 000 to the party faithful in the area and asked the people to keep hope alive expressing optimism that the Labour party presidential candidate, Peter Obi would eventually come on board as president of Nigeria in the near future either through the tribunal judgement or through a re-run election.
He added that once Obi comes on board, Nigerians would witness rapid development and economic recovery through the instrumentality of the Labour party.
Earlier in a speech, Chinedum Uwolloh , Chief of Staff to Hon Ogene while thanking the lawmaker for his impactful representation within two months of his inauguration disclosed that the project would take 150 trucks of broken bricks/blocks at N25,000 each, 10 tippers of Berger condemned cement to solidify the road and make it passable this rainy season, at N80,000 per trip, plus labour for those spreading it across potholes and other logistics in the first phase.
