Heavy rain washes off newly constructed drainage in Anambra

…Govt reacts

An ongoing drainage channel being constructed by the Anambra State Authorities positioned on Niger Road in Fegge, Onitsha,  collapsed because of heavy rainfall on Thursday night time.

A video of the collapsed drainage circulating on social media and exhibiting the channel, with a resident within the space commenting, described the continued building work as substandard.

The person within the video stated, “Take a look at the form of street that Governor Chukwuma Soludo is constructing for us, only one rainfall in Onitsha, and the street has been washed off, whereas the drainage has collapsed.

“Soludo has been saying he’ll flip Anambra into Dubai Taiwan. Is that this how he’ll flip Anambra into Dubai Taiwan? Simply see the street, it’s simply purple earth, no cement in any respect.”

When our correspondent visited the location on Friday, there have been blended reactions. Whereas some made derogatory remarks, others defended the governor on the mission, insisting that the rains got here down unannounced, on the identical date that the work was achieved.

One of many respondents who recognized herself as Nkem Nwanolue stated, “The contractor remains to be on the location, and nobody has declared the mission accomplished. The concrete forged takes a minimal of seven days to remedy and about 21 days to totally stabilise.

“That very gutter on Niger Road had neither cured nor stabilised earlier than the rains of that very day, and anybody who is aware of Onitsha is aware of the quantity of flood that greets each rainfall. The contractor, even from that very video recording, remains to be very a lot on website.

“Dubai, as it’s as we speak, as it’s as we speak didn’t occur in 13 months (Soludo has spent 13 months in workplace) and definitely not with the form of bitter soul that made that video. Soludo could be very a lot on target and can by no means be distracted by the tantrums of politically bitter folks.”

One other resident, Mr. Godwin Okeke, insisted the mission had been shoddily dealt with whereas blaming the event on “poor supervision” on the a part of authorities officers, a crew of engineers, and contractors dealing with the mission.

“What occurred confirmed that the supplies used are substandard. If they’ve utilized sufficient cement through the casting of the drainage, it could not have washed off,” Okeke added.

It was gathered that the state Commissioner for Works, Mr. Ifeanyi Okeoma, has visited the world and inspected the extent of injury achieved.

An appointee of the state authorities, Mr. Chidiebele Obika, confirmed this to journalists on Friday.

He stated, “Anambra State Commissioner for Works, Mr. Ifeanyi Okeoma, a crew of engineers from the ministry had been right here at Niger Road, Fegge Onitsha, to examine the extent of labor on the stretch and witness the consequences of Thursday’s downpour on the street.

“Opposite to the newbie clip that went viral earlier as we speak, nothing a lot occurred I can affirm that the development firm dealing with the mission is on-site engaged on the stretch.”