Odolu – Nsukka road project has remained uncompleted and abandoned 21 years after it was awarded, Media Advocacy West Africa Foundation (MAWA Foundation) has learned.
The road awarded to ENERCO Nigeria Limited in 1999 at the sum of N1.5 billion has since been forgotten leaving the Okutu-Odolu portion uncompleted and abandoned.
Although the road connecting Kogi and Enugu states has been constructed from Nsukka to Okpuje, it was abandoned at a popular hill called “Ugwu Ngwoke Nwonye” and that of another popular hill called “Ugwu Asha” at the Odolu axis.
This is even as the abandoned portion is not up to three kilometres which are at the Okutu market valley to Odolu area.
Worse still, the construction company Project Manager, Mr. Ibrahim Abdo, said although the contract was awarded in November 1999, and to be completed within 18 months.
He, however, blamed the delay in the construction of the road on the non-co-operation of the military of works that he accused of frustration the project by refusing to sign all necessary documents that will facilitate it.
He disclosed that his company commenced constructing the road in May 2000, about seven months after the contract was awarded.
Since then, the road is yet to be completed 21 years after it was awarded.
Mr. Isaac Isaka, one of the Okutu residents, told MAWA that the road cuts the journey from Enugu to Abuja by two hours, he added that if the road was to be completed, commuters traveling from Enugu to Abuja will not have to go through Benue, but use the road which reduces the journey to three hours instead of six hours which is currently the case.
Isaka added that the road will also boost economic activities in Ibagwa Ani, Okpuje, Okutu, Odolu communities that are strategically situated along the route.
Odulu – Nsukka road is not the only exception, often government officials in Nigeria connive and share monies meant for projects leaving them abandoned.
And, in some cases where the projects are implemented, they are often done using substandard materials and quacks posing as professionals, offering cheap labour with a high cost of projects inflation.
MAWA could not immediately reach out to the ministry of works for a response.