IMO COMMISSIONER CAUTIOUS RESIDENTS AGAINST BLOCKING WATER WAYS

REPORTER: CHINAZO ILECHUKWU

Residents of Imo State have been urged to always clean up drainage around their vicinities and avoid dumping of refuse in water channels to reduce the menace of flooding.

The State Commissioner for Works, Chief Ralph Nwosu, made the call when the General Manager Radio Nigeria Heartland Fm Owerri, Mr. Kenechukwu Anyanwu, paid him a courtesy visit in Owerri.

The Commissioner explained that the government had embarked on construction of tunnels to control flooding in some parts of Owerri while exiting drainage are being de-silted to save the roads.

Chief Nwosu said the three bridges located at inland roads in Owerri had become death traps due to poor construction and appealed to road users to be patient as the government was seeking ways of tackling the problem. 

“In fact when it is raining, most of us even the Governor does not sleep, the flooding around those areas started a long time ago and that explains why we have now confronted it head on.

“People are so insensitive they cannot even take care of their immediate environment, de-silt the environment, but they don’t do it, they wait for government, some people have built on top of tunnels, we are doing what we can maintaining the ones maintainable so we don’t even know where to start,” he said.

Chief Nwosu stated that the government had embarked on massive reconstruction of roads, especially those owned by the federal government to ease movement and boost economic activities.

He called on the media to partner the government in areas of sensitization of the public, noting that the administration of Governor Hope Uzodimma was determined to address the myriads of problems it inherited.

“All the projects we are doing, almost sixty something projects spread across the entire zones but we have concentrated on the state capital because we came in here and met degraded infrastructure it was like a war zone, it was not even maintenance.

“Most of the roads we had to start afresh to get them done and if you consider the paucity of funds you will now understand our predicament, most of the signature projects of the government and even federal projects,” the Commissioner stated.
                          
The General Manager Radio Nigeria Heartland Fm Owerri, Mr. Kenechukwu Anyanwu, said he was elated by massive road rehabilitation across the state, pointing out that the recent commissioning of the construction of the Owerri-Mbaise-Umuahia dual carriage road would enhance the operations of the FM Station.

Mr. Anyanwu, who assured the commitment of Radio Nigeria, Heartland FM Owerri towards bridging the gap existing between the government and citizens, stressed the need for patronage to aid the station in its operations.

“We have seen the wonderful work you did on Orlu road, the Owerri-Okigwe road and recently the commissioning of the Owerri- Mbaise-Obowo-Umuahia road, which is very dear to us in Heartland Fm, as station because a lot of staff ply that road everyday to go to work.

“And we have been experiencing a lot of difficulties plying the road and it is as if you people had us in mind when you decided to pay attention to this particular road, so we are excited and that is why we are here to commend you and to ask you to continue the good work you are doing.

“And also want to specially through you send a goodwill message to His Excellency the Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, the rainy season has not even deterred the government, the government has continued to work day and night to make sure it bequeaths a very good legacy, good infrastructure to the people of Imo state,” he said.   

The General Manager, who was accompanied by the Head of Programmes Department of the station, Mrs. Faith Mbaleme, advised the government not to be distracted in its efforts to better the lots of the people.

EDITED BY CHUKWUBUIKE MADU

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