CONSULTANTS KIDNAP: GOV SUSPENDS RING ROAD PROJECT

REPORTER: AMECHI ODO

Ebonyi State Government has suspended construction work at the war torn Effium-Ohaukwu section of the ongoing 198 Kilometre Abakaliki Ring Road project for seven days.

This followed security threats being faced by contractors and consultants at the site.

Governor David Umahi announced this during a security meeting involving heads of security agencies and stakeholders of the project at Government House Abakaliki.

At the meeting were the Commissioner of Police in the State, Mr. Aliyu Garba; representatives of heads the Department of State Service and the Nigerian Army; Chairmen of benefitting Local Government Areas, Traditional Rulers and Contractors handling the project.

It was to discuss how to provide water tight security to those involved in the project following yet to be confirmed abduction of five project consultants at war torn Effium axis of the Ringroad.

Governor Umahi explained that the entire project was under security threat and warned that he was likely to shut down the construction of other sections of the road project unless there were sworn affidavits from concerned Local Government Chairmen and community leaders to guarantee the security of the contractors.

The Governor noted that the state government had scheduled a meeting with representatives of a firm the abducted consultants were said to be working for.

He emphasized that neither security agencies nor the state government were aware of their visit to Effium project site when they were abducted.

He warned contractors to stop giving excuses for unnecessary delay of the project, noting that its eighteen months completion period remained sacrosanct.