The snail pace of work on the Umuahia-Ikwuano-Ikot Ikpene road  may be as a result of lack of capacity on the part of the construction company, Hartland Construction Company Limited, laments  Dr Monday Ubani while speaking on Thursday to the Press on the premises of the Federal Ministry of Works, Amakama, Umuahia, Abia State.


Dr Ubani, chairman, Section on Public Interest and Development Law, NBA-SPIDEL who led a delegation comprising LP Ikwuano Stakeholders and officers of Ikwuano Development Union Federated,  IDUF to the Ministry said their mission was to find out reasons why four years after award of contract on the road, no reasonable work has been done on it.

"We are here to find out the reasons why work is proceeding at snail pace on the Umuahia-Ikwuano-Ikot Ikpene road, is it lack of funds, is it lack of capacity? Is the promised funding from  Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) which took effect since early 2022 no longer tenable?" he asked.


The Constitutional lawyer-human rights activist who is also IDUF's  Chairman of the Monitoring Committee  on the Reconstruction/Rehabilitation of Umuahia-Ikwuano Ikot-Ekpene  road decried the fact  that the road has taken a heavy  toll on human and capital resources of  Ikwuano LG



Speaking on his misgivings on Hartland Construction Company Limited in charge of works on the road, Ubani said: "My prediction four years is coming to manifest, Hartland has no capacity to execute a job of this magnitude, my findings from the records from the Corporate Affairs aCommission, CAC shows that Hartland is a company owned by one man, with his wife, son and daughter as director.

Members of the IDUF delegation with Hartland PRO Mrs Grace Gbagi middle 

The company has no history of  former projects of this magnitude executed.


"I raised that alarm and I warned that this contract must not be abandoned like previous ones. Today, I want to warn again that this contract must not be abandoned...our people have suffered enough over the dilapidated condition of the road", he said. 


In a related development, the IDUF says it would seek a conclusive meeting with the FMW designated as clients on the road and Hartland management to register a formal protest and demand explanations by  Ndi Ikwuano over the poor state of the road whose condition continues to degenerate four years after an award of the N13.5 billion contract for its  reconstruction and rehabilitation.


Dailyledger.com.ng reports that there are moves by the FMW and Hartland to embark on an interim  palliative measures on the road to ease vehicular movement owing to the massive wear and tear occasioned by the onset of the rainy season.


A statement signed by the President-General of IDUF, Dr Charles Uzondu stated as follows: "A meeting of Ikwuano concerned citizens and stakeholders led by Bar. Monday Ubani, (Chairman of the Monitoring Committee  on the Reconstruction/Rehabilitation of Umuahia-IkotEkpene express road, ) and Dr. Uzondu, (PG-IDUF),   was held today with the Public Relations Officer, Mrs Grace Gbagi  and the Administration Officer of Heartland Construction Company, Mr Ernest Obih,  the company handling the Umuahia -IkotEkpene Road. The objective was to meet with the top management of the organization, hear from them their challenges vis a vis the rehabilitation/reconstruction of Umuahia-IkotEkpene Express road, and let them understand the feelings of Nde-Ikwuano  as a community betrayed by them as contractors.


" Unfortunately the top management was not on seat, the team poured out the hearts of Nde-Ikwuano to the duo that were met on ground. It was resolved to hold an all inclusive meeting of the Ikwuano representatives,  the top management of the contractors and the Fed. Ministry of Works. 


"From Oboro,  the team  proceeded to the office of the Controller, FMW at Amakama. Again they  missed the Controller, but poured out the heart of Nde-Ikwuano and  feelings to the most senior staff available.  A letter requesting for the all inclusive meeting will originate from IDUF and on IDUF letter head", the statement also signed Elder Ike Mpa-Nwosu, Secretary-General of IDUF read.


Others on the delegation include Chief Charles Ugboajah, Mr Iheanyi Nwaka, both LP chieftains in Ikwuano.


Others are the Youth Leader, Pstr Nkwocha Chibunna; Chief Innocent Eleogu, AUP President; Dr Bobby Ariwodo; Chief David Ezegbe and Mr Ambrose Jonah.


...Full interview with Dr Ubani on the road coming.