The National Council of Youths (NACOY) in the oil-rich Ohaji community in Ohaji/Egbema LGA of Imo State has urged Governor Hope Uzodimma to use his good office and mandate oil companies in Ohaji to mobilize their contractors for various road rehabilitations in the areas.
The body while condemning in strong terms the poor road network across the oil-bearing communities in the state, appealed to the Governor to charge the contractor handling Avu-Etekuru road to show more commitment in order to deliver that road before the next rainy season.
He said: “We call on Governor Hope Uzodimma to come to our rescue because if another rainy season starts, there will be problems in our areas”.
In a statement issued on Tuesday in Owerri, the President of NACOY Comrade Nwosu Nicholas Tochukwu, regretted that it is not enough to call Ohaji/Egbema LGA, the Oil producing area of Imo State adding that the area deserves to be treated as the true source of the economy of the state.
The NACOY President said that about twenty communities are accessing the above-mentioned roads and these roads are in terrible condition to the point that people can no longer drive to their homes.
According to him, the affected roads have become a yearly battle during the rainy season, making it difficult for our people to carry out their daily business with ease.
He said: “The most annoying part of this issue of broken roads in Ohaji are the Oil companies whose heavy equipment and trucks that damage the roads mostly are not helping matters. It is frustrating and highly irritating to note that up till now jobs have not commenced on Obile-Assa-Ochia -Awara road, awarded by Shell (SPDC) to *Recon Engineering Company* over two years now, which is the only road that connects the four major oil producing communities in Ohaji clean”.
The President pointed out that the cottage hospital site at Umugama in Assa Autonomous Community, and the Energy hub project that comprises (ICT, ELECTRICITY AND SKILL ACQUISITION centre) that SPDC awarded for the past two years when the late Uzomba was the board chairman are yet to see the light of the day.
The youths declared that they are highly disappointed that up till now SPDC has not flag off the reconstruction of Umuapu-Ihie-Obitti-Assa Access Road which they awarded to *Zerok construction company* and the company have signed F.T.O with the communities.
He said: ‘God knows our people have exhibited enough patience and have endured more hardship as a result of neglect. Let the truth be told with all due respect and high sense of responsibility, the contractor handling Avu-Etekuru road is not helping matters as there is no reasonable work going on that road”
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