By Okey Maduforo
The Onitsha South local government area of Anambra state has banned the burning of tyres on roads placing a fine of N150,000.00 on culprits .
To this end a 170 man Task Force have been set up to monitor activities on the major roads and projects being executed by the Gov Charles Soludo administration in the area.
This is coming as an alleged plot to sabotage ongoing road projects by suspected opposition in the area which is said to have been uncovered by the Council.
According to the Secretary of Onitsha South local government area Mr Paul Onuachalla who spoke to reporters in Onitsha;
“We have it on good authority that a repeat of the viral video on the Ochanja Market road project is about to be hatched by those opposition people and we are watching them closely”
“We have a 170 man Task Force to monitor and apprehend culprits who have been paid by the opposition to creat false impression of the massive road construction going on in Onitsha South local government area” he said.
Earlier before now the traders and landlords in Ochanja and Onitsha South local government area had carried out a mass protest against the campaign of calumny targeted at the roads being constructed by the Soludo administration.
According to their spokesman, Chief Okwudili Obinwunne , they are protesting against the antics of desperate politicians who are sparing no effort in attempt to discredit the good work that Governor Soludo is doing in Ochanja, Onitsha and Anambra State as a whole.
He said that as far as they are concerned nothing is wrong with the road.
“The contractor was putting the initial layer of asphalt on the road when the very first major rain in Anambra fell with the attendant flood unseating the hot asphalt that is yet to settle on the stone base and cement stabilization components that had earlier been compacted on the stretch of road”
“And as far as we know, nothing happened to warrant the recriminations and campaign of calumny being carried against Soludo and his government”
Chief Obinwunne disclosed that for over four decades, subsequent governments have come and gone (including this opposition government) without thinking of reconstructing or doing any meaningful palliative on the Ochanja road.
“Before now, the road was one dusty and cratered stretch that never crossed the previous governors minds”
“But within two years of Soludo’s administration their story changed in a manner that beat their imagination. Moreso, the quality of roads are Julius Berger standard with street lights to match”
Mrs Imelda Akunobi from Fegge said that since 1999, no governor has remembered the road until Governor Soludo came in. A retired teacher, she recalled how harrowing it was going to work through that road. They would carry spare shoes and dresses to change when they get to school.
Another prominent orange merchant in the market, Mrs Eucharia Chukwuma (alias nwanyi Achalla) said Solution is a game changer. She said that flood water used to carry children during rainfalls, but all that have become history.
