Road destruction: Abia Govt. arrests company manager
From Boniface Okoro, Umuahia
Abia State government, at the weekend, arrested the manager of an Umuahia-based popular gas company for alleged willful damaging of manholes along Aguiyi Ironsi Boulevard, Umuahia.
The company was said to have destroyed the manhole in front of its area of operation facing the road in an effort to create an access route into its premises and, in the process, damaged the manhole.
It was gathered that the access point the company was using to bring in its goods from the Boulevard had collapsed and the company approached the government to obtain approval to construct a stronger access point.
Government sources admitted that the company did approach it for approval but noted that discussions were still ongoing when the company mobilized and started work and destroyed the concrete pavement in the process.
Commenting on the development, the Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, said government would no longer tolerate the malicious destruction of property put in place for public use, adding that the Manager of the company that damaged manholes along the Boulevard has been arrested.
He therefore called on stakeholders to take ownership of and protect government infrastructure located in their areas.
“The state government is using this opportunity to call on communities, traditional rulers and youths to take ownership of all government properties within their communities.
“Government cannot be spending billions of Naira to ensure that necessary infrastructure is put in place for the comfort and convenience of the citizenry and unscrupulous individuals will be busy destroying these properties,” the Commissioner said, stressing that such acts negate government’s efforts to turn Umuahia and Aba into smart cities.
Answering questions from newsmen, the General Manager of Umuahia Capital Development Authority (UCDA), Mr Kingsley Agomoh, revealed that over 15 manholes have been destroyed along the newly commissioned 6-lane Aguiyi Ironsi Boulevard, adding that government would no longer fold its arms and watch facilities put in place for public use being willfully destroyed.
“More than 15 manholes have been removed and destroyed along the Boulevard. It is something no government should tolerate,” he said.
