OPINION

Our votes not in vain

 By Nwaorgu Faustinus

road construction

The joy of democracy for me is when politicians who are voted into elective offices ensure that those that elected them reap the benefit for electing them into office. Such benefit is not individually centered but people-oriented which is aimed at reducing the suffering of people, be it in skill acquisition, job creation, protection of life and property, road construction, which falls under infrastructural development among others. The crux of this piece is on the last but one – road construction. 

The purpose of this piece is to inform not only Eziama and Ntu communities but also the entire Ngor/Okpala people living at home, and especially those living outside the shores of Nigeria that Owelle Ndi Imo is putting his money where his mouth is. This is sequel to his observation and promise to make sure that if voted into office, his administration will look into the poor nature of roads in the council area.

My article captioned “Ngor/Okpala: A council area in need of development” published in some online media sites and in few print media outfits wherein I stated: ‘I remembered vividly the comment made by the current governor of Imo state, Owelle Rochas Okoroha about the poor nature of Ngor/Okpala LGA roads when he was campaigning prior to the April 2011 gubernatorial election. The manner he spoke on the nature of roads in the area left no one in doubt that he will swing into action with a view to renovating and building new key roads which I had identified in my article titled “Barr. Enyinna Onuegbu and the challenge of Ngor/Okpala Council Area”.  As at the time I wrote the former article, there was no concrete evidence to show that one or two roads are getting facelift from the governor.

This made me to aver thus in that piece: “Those who use the votes of Ngor/Okpala electorates to ascend to elective pinnacle should not ignore the council area by bequeathing on it lasting and commendable development projects not just to be remembered but also to be reelected in subsequent elections based on what they were able to achieve developmentally during their first tenure or risk the melancholic fate that befell the Ex-Governor, Ikedi Ohakim who campaigned vigorously in Ngor/Okpala to seek for votes and spent so much money but was shown the way out just for a change. The people from the council area are wiser ever than before as shown by what they did to Owelle Rochas’ predecessor during the supplementary elections and would not accept anything short of enduring developmental projects. The time to act is now”.

It is therefore noteworthy that he has started delivering on his campaign promise in the construction of roads.  In my last but one piece with the title “Ngor-Okpala: Owelle Rochas on Course to Make Good his Promise”, I wrote ‘True to his promise, governor owelle rochas administration has commenced the construction of the road that runs from Umukabia to the Local Government Council located at Umuneke Ngor.

While the people from the area commend him for this among other good plans he has for the council area given his philanthropic disposition and the remarkable, prominent and praiseworthy role majority of electorates from Ngor-Okpala played to put him in the Douglas House (State Government House) where he is today, he should ensure that the construction company handling the construction of the road delivers on target.  It is important to observe here that it is one thing to commence the construction of road and another to complete it while adhering strictly to time, standards and specification. This observation is based on previous attempt made to construct the road by past administration but was abandoned”.

Optimistically, last week, the people of Umuodagu Ntu were beside themselves with joy when the current administration moved in its construction machine to the community, and without much ado, kick started the construction of the popular “Theo Road” named after late Theodor Amadi who created the initial footpath of the road from Umucham Ntu, a village in Ntu community to Elelem, a nearby community.

The people of Umuodagu Ntu, which is made up of six villages could not hide their happiness as cheerful expression enveloped their countenance for what the state government through the influence of Hon. Emeka Nwaorfo has started to do for them. “Ama Theo” as the road is fondly called has never been remembered by past administration, it was therefore a moment of great joy for the inhabitants of the community to witness the maiden construction of the road. 

Now that the road construction is at its early stage, it would be prudent to remind the state government as I did in my recent article to ensure prompt monitoring of the road construction so as to make sure that the contractor or construction company handling the project adhere strictly to standards and specification which informed the award of the contract, for anything contrary to this may not go down well with the people of the community.

 In addition, Owelle Rochas and Hon. Emeka Nwaorfo should as a matter of necessity extend road construction to other communities that make up the LGA in order to give them a sense of belonging, because it is not only people from Ntu community and others living along the road that leads to the local government headquarters that voted for you during the supplementary election last year. This among other developmental needs should be the duty of a responsible administration that has the interest of the people at heart. God bless Ngor/Okpala

 Nwaorgu Faustinus writes from Port Harcourt, Rivers State