Gov Obiano, EFCC asked to investigate N68m Aronota Bridge scam

By Obialunamma Nwadiogbu

Gov. Willie Obiano

Ekwulobia – ORUMBA North Local Government Area of Anambra State is made up of 16 communities. They have cried over alleged marginalisation and nobody is listening. So the Presidents-General of the communities decided to articulate the areas of need of each community before the state governor and even write for probe or attention for redress in areas where they are not satisfied.

They do not want business as usual by their political leaders. For a start, they visited four communities of Ndikelionwu, Ndiokolo, Ndiokpalaeke and Awa. The Orumba North Association of Town Unions, ONATU, is led by Hon. Ernest Igboanugo from Ndiokpalaeke. They are partnering with Justice, Peace and Development Commission, JPDC, Caritas Foundation of the Catholic Diocese of Awka.

JPDC led by Chinedu Ugwuta, lauded the initiative of the Igboanugo-led Presidents- General, as according to him, JPDC sees Orumba North as part of the marginalised areas in Anambra State and having been working assiduously to enthrone accountability by public officials and as well attract attention to unattended areas.

He added that their official is already in the field, visiting all public utilities claimed to have been done by government and would do validation by the communities before they adopt it as a working document.

At Ndikelionwu, they paid a homage to the traditional ruler, His Majesty, Eze Chukwuemeka Ike, Ogbititi Ikelionwu XI (who is also a professor). The ONATU leader, Igboanugo informed Eze Ike that they were in the community after their monthly meeting to visit the Aronota bridge abandoned since 2012 and assess the level of work before writing the state governor for its completion.

Igwe Eze appreciated their foresight in documenting government projects and level of compliance with released funds for government attention. He reminded that his community had a fertile land even with a World Bank project, but no road to access the quantum of agricultural produce from there as they would go round from Awgbu before getting to the five villages cut off by the uncompleted Aronoto bridge.

He said although the Odor river is mystical, a bridge across as it was done by former Governor Peter Obi at Awgbu section would have made the difference, lamenting that Emeka Aforka started it and raised their hope only for their hopes raised to be dashed again.

Eze Chukwuemeka Ike lamented that Obiano was looking for land for agriculture when only his community’s land is enough for the entire agricultural projects in the state, but lack of accessible roads makes it a dilemma. He said the community still lacks some basic amenities as there is no hospital, and electricity supply, which has forced some artisans out of the community due to frustration.

The President General of Ndikelionwu, Chief Okechukwu Okereke, Nnanyelugo was livid over the abandoned Aronota bridge despite the huge sum claimed to have been spent on it. He wondered how N68 million would be spent on a culvert so to speak, yet nothing is on ground to show for it. He said five of his communities have been cut off sequel to the non-completion of the said Aronota bridge and called for urgent government intervention.

He said there was urgent need for a bridge and road to reconnect them, asking Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State and Chief Okey Enekwe-led Orumba North council area to do something urgently.

So, the Presidents General of these communities embarked on a working visit to Aronota Bridge where N68 million was claimed to have been spent by the immediate past local government Chairman.

At the site of Aronota Bridge, Ndikelionwu, Orumba North local government area which cut off several villages from Ndikelionwu, they wept as there was no justification of the N68 million documented to have been spent on the non-existent bridge.

The President General of Ndikelionwu Chief Okechukwu Okreeke at the site further told the Presidents General that his community are at a loss as to how the bridge already claimed to have gulped N68 million could be re-awarded. He called for a probe by the Anambra State government led by Governor Willie Obiano and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to recover the funds from the contractors as it was a glaring waste of public funds.

Okereke said: “This is the whole noise that they are building bridge across Aronota. Looking at it here, is there any bridge? How can one justify that N68 million has been spent here, yet there is no basement? We have been abandoned.