By Frank Chuks Izekor
As Delta State celebrate 30 years of her creation and 20 years of PDP rule in the state, I want to draw the attention of State government to a community road, although the has never been tared, but was hitherto passable over the past years without much difficulties.
The Alizomor – Alisor – Omumu road in Ward 3, Ika South Local Government Area, was awarded sometime last year by the Delta State government, and was billed to be completed within a record time as we were told that the contract sum was already made available to the contracting firm.
The road was among many other roads across the state that were awarded at the same time. The contractor to this particular road shortly after the award mobilized to site to the excitement of inhabitants of the communities.
While other roads awarded at the same time have been completed, only about 2klm of this road which ends at Alizomor was partially completed. The part of the road leading to Alisor was bulldozed and abandoned, while nothing was done on the part leading to Omumu.
The contractor according to grapevine information blamed lack of funds to the abandonment of the road project!
But how could this be true when we were initially told that funds for the project, and indeed all the projects awarded at the same time have all been completed?
Alisor community as at today cannot be accessed through that road as it has completely become impassable. It has never been this bad over the years even though it was not tared.
The questions that are begging for answers as it concerns the road are:
• Why was the construction of the road stopped immediately it passed the residence of a particular PDP stalwart who is the leader of the Party in that locality?
• Why was funds made available for the other roads awarded by the State Government at the same time, not made available for this road?
• Could it be that somebody somewhere influenced the construction of this road with the contract cutting across the three communities of Alizomor, Alisor and Omumu, while it was actually met to end after crossing a point?
If this assertions are not correct, what effort then is this PDP and their stalwarts in that Ward putting in to ensure that the entire stretch of the road as awarded is completed?
I want to, therefore, call on the state government to expedite action on this road to alleviate the sufferings of the people living in these communities as PDP over the years has benefited immensely from them through what they call “bush votes!”
I want to also use this medium to call on the Commissioner for Works, (Urban and Federal Roads) Engr Noel Omodon who incidentally is from the same Ward with these communities to use his good office to see to the completion of this road, even though the said road does not fall within his jurisdiction, I however, appeal to him to reach out to his counterpart in the Rural Road Ministry to give the road the attention it deserves.
