The Civil Society Organizations (CSO) Investigative Council has released a statement responding to the allegations of poor construction of the Abariba-Ohafia to Ndi Okoroc Road in Abia North Senatorial District, Abia State.
This statement, signed by the council’s convener, Comrade Nelson Ossaieze, was made available to newsmen on Tuesday following an investigation prompted by an online protest from Tochukwu Ogbuagu, an indigene of the area and a social media influencer with Kepukepu TV.
Ogbuagu, using video evidence, accused Swiber Africa Limited, the contractor responsible for the road construction, of substandard work, particularly in the extended section of the road. His video showing what appeared to be shoddy construction practices and the poor state of the road gained significant public attention, prompting the CSO Investigative Council to conduct an independent assessment.
According to the CSO Investigative Council, the road project was initially awarded for a 600-meter stretch, with a budget of ₦250 million. The project was funded as a constituency initiative by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, with the scope including the construction of the road and the installation of two side drains. This initial phase of the project, the council confirmed, was completed according to specifications and in compliance with the outlined bill of quantities. No major issues were raised concerning the original 600-meter stretch.
However, following the completion of the initial phase, the community, including traditional leaders, petitioned Senator Kalu to extend the road by an additional 400 meters. Responding to this request, Senator Kalu according to report, generously funded the extension with an additional ₦52 million, which was paid directly to Swiber Africa Limited. The council’s further revealed that the portion of the road funded for extension was the focus of the controversy, where concerns over poor construction were raised.
They also noted that while the original 600 meters were constructed to the prescribed standards, the extended section exhibited signs of premature wear and tear. The extended 400-meter stretch showed inadequate road layering and drainage issues, leading to the road deteriorating at a much faster rate than expected. These findings were corroborated with local feedback, as residents noted issues such as pooling water and visible cracks along the newly constructed stretch.
In its statement, the CSO Investigative Council stressed that the deficiencies observed were primarily in the extension, which was managed and funded separately by Senator Kalu, and was not part of the original contract monitored by the Federal Cooperative College Oji River, which had oversight responsibility for the initial project. The council confirmed that the college had no involvement in overseeing the extension works, thereby absolving them of any responsibility for the alleged deficiencies.
It however, called on Swiber Africa Limited to address the substandard work done on the extended section, urging the contractor to carry out urgent remediation work while recommending resurfacing the road, reinforcing its layers, and improving the drainage system to meet the required engineering specifications.
The Council stressing the need for a thorough investigation before publicizing such issues, urged Senator Kalu to work with the contractor to address problems in the extension, ensuring its quality matches the original project.
Furthermore, the council commend the Federal Cooperative College Oji River for its commitment to transparency and accountability in public infrastructure projects. They emphasized the need for more support for independent oversight and called for future constituency projects to include more robust monitoring mechanisms to prevent similar issues.
Finally the council reaffirmed that, while the original project met expectations, the extension funded by Senator Kalu needed to be reviewed and appeal to the Senator to look into this matter urgently.