Commissioner: Anambra Road collapse still being worked on
Ifeanyi Okeoma, the Anambra State Commissioner for Works, has maintained that work is still ongoing on the collapsed Ochanja Road in Woliwo, Onitsha.
When it started to rain, the contractor was pouring the final bit of asphalt on the paver, and the base course, on which the asphalt was laid, was moist, according to Okeoma, who visited the section of the road that was reportedly swept away by severe rainfall on Tuesday.
The commissioner, his staff, and the contractors paid a visit in response to a widely shared video that claimed that Monday’s 20-minute downpour “washed off” the newly opened road, which Chukwuma Soludo, the state governor, had just a week earlier.
“The ‘Dubai-Taiwan’ Ochanja market road in Onitsha, built with billions of Anambra taxpayers’ money, has just been washed away by just one episode of 20 minutes of rainfall on Monday, March 25, 2024,” the voice in the video stated. The nature of the government’s subpar work was made clear by the rain.
In response, Okeoma said during the visit that the video was a “affront” to the state government and that nothing of the such had ever occurred.
“You can see that nothing happened at all,” he added, addressing those of us who are here on this particular road. As you can see for yourself, nothing like that occurred when we watched the movie last night and arrived here first thing this morning.
Following his Sunday workday closure, the contractor halted at a tiny, approximately one-foot section. Because of a strong downpour, the base became obstructed, and approximately one foot of the work was swept away.
“You can see that we are all standing on primed stone base material, so we are shocked by the opposition’s mischievous video that tries to undermine the state government’s accomplishments, even though you can see that work is still being done.”
Ochanja Road, however, was reportedly one of the roads the governor just opened as part of celebrations for his second year in office.
Additionally, the contractor at the site swept away the washed-out section of the road and shut it while our correspondent saw traders operating along the entire road, conducting business.
In separate interviews with our correspondent, a few people expressed their disappointment that the job was not up to their expectations, even though the taxpayers had paid billions of dollars to have it done.
Ijeoma Okeke, a trader residing on the impacted road, stated that although the road has dual water carriage on both sides, the asphalt washed away by flooding.
Okeke stated that although the freshly asphalted road washed away, the road was built with drainages on both sides, which facilitates unrestricted water movement.
“Another way to waste taxpayer money, the contractors should be questioned. What will happen when it rains again?” she remarked. The contractor is still on site, thank heavens. He’ll see how poorly he performed.
Uche Ikem, a different resident, bemoaned the fact that the impacted road was just opened last week and that the first rain easily removed the asphalt.
“This road was one of the ones our governor opened, and the first rain that fell on it after it was put into service wiped the surface away.
“I wanted our governor to invite the contractor for questioning because I am afraid the entire road will not withstand the test of time,” he continued.
Up to 1. 7 km of the 2.3 km road project have been completed thus far. In addition to the water fountain, the project would include street lights and a broad water drainage system that empties into a wider canal to prevent floods on the road and market, as well as safeguard the traders’ property.
