Enugu community raises concern over alleged abandoned constituency projects

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Stakeholders in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu have called for the completion of constituency projects attracted to the area in the last three years.

The call was made during the presentation of Uzo-Uwani Community Constituency Project Tracking Report (2016—2018).

The report was sponsored by an Enugu-based non-governmental organisation, called Divine Era Development and Social Rights Initiatives (DEDSRI), in partnership with ActionAid Nigeria and the support of UKaid.

The Chairman of the Community Constituency Project Tracking Committee, Mr Christian Tagbo, said that some of the projects were attracted by Sen. Chuka Utazi representing Enugu North zone.

Others were attracted by Mrs Stella Ngwu, who represented Igboetiti/Uzo Uwani Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives between 2015 and 2019.

Tagbo said that the area was replete with abandoned projects attracted by the two lawmakers.

He said that out of about 10 borehole projects worth N150million and attracted to the area, only two were completed.

He said that the two functional boreholes were located at Ukpata and Ukpabi communities.

He said that other projects located at Ugbene, Nkpologu, Nkpunator, Odida Nimbo and another one in Ukpata had since been abandoned.

The chairman said that the situations in the affected areas were more complicated as the communities were subjected to adverse water scarcity.

“For instance, the projects in Ugbene and Nkpologu are rated as being completed but it is not functional.

“There are overhead tanks and power houses but no power generating set. The boreholes have not been dug,” he said.

Tagbo said that the situation was the same in most locations, adding that none of their benefactors had given any reason for the abandonment of the projects.

When contacted, Ngwu admitted to attracting an unprecedented number of water projects to the area but said that she was not aware that any of them was abandoned.

She said that she would draw the attention of the contractor that executed her projects.

Ngwu said that some of the projects she attracted were funded in batches.

Also, the Personal Assistant to Utazi, Mr Charles Ogbuanya, said that projects attracted by the senator were either completed or ongoing.

Ogbuanya said that some components of the borehole projects would be installed whenever another tranche of funds were released.

Earlier, the Executive Director, DEDSRI, Ms Ogechukwu Enwelum, said that the constituency tracking project was under the ‘Strengthening Citizens’ Resistance against Prevalence of Corruption’ project.

Enwelum said that the project was being implemented in six states of the federation including Enugu State and in six local government areas of the state.

She said that following a baseline survey by the organisation, it was discovered that the number of projects on ground did not tally with Federal Government’s expenditure since the constituency project regime started.

“Corruption is on the increase and this has affected the quality of life in Nigeria.

“The time has come for communities to rise to the challenge of fighting corruption,” Enwelum said.

 

 

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