By NewsCritic Reporters
As controversy rages over the execution of a N20m (Twenty Million Naira) three- classroom block project at Umutowe Primary School, Olokoro, in Umuahia South Local Government Area of Abia State, investigations have revealed that the abandoned project was attracted by Hon Sam Onuigbo, the member representing Umuahia/Ikwuano federal constituency at the National Assembly.
A non-governmental organization, NGO, that operates under the aegis of Women Aid Collective had presented an independent budget monitoring report which focused on three states of the South East where projects were approved in the 2017 budget to be sited in some locations in the country.The report showed that some contracts awarded in Abia were either abandoned or poorly executed by the contractor after collecting the full contract sum.One of the projects located at Umutowe Primary School, Olokoro-Umuahia which is a Constituency project was not only poorly executed but equally abandoned without completing the job specification as contained in the contract papers.However, insinuations were rife that since the project was abandoned in Abia Central where Senator T.A Orji (Ochendo) holds away as the Senator, the tendency is that he knows about the project. But NewsCritic checks revealed that Senator T.A Orji who has attracted several developmental projects in Abia State has nothing to do with the said failed project, as it is a federal Constituency project attracted by Hon Sam Onuigbo an All Progressive Congress, APC, lawmaker in Abia State.The N20m contract was for the construction of three-classroom block and furnishing of the project.But the contracted instead of constructing a three-classroom block changed it to Two- Classroom block and executed a bad job before abandoning the infrastructure to decay.Finding indicates that the contract was awarded to Impex Agro Allied Nig Ltd through the Universal Basic Education under the federal ministry of Education.”So, the project was not attracted by Senator T.A Orji but Rep Sam Onuigbo, who ordinarily should have explanation to make concerning the project”, said Hon Ifeanyi Umere, the Constituency Liaison Officer to Senator Orji.At any rate, Rep Onuigbo admitted that he originated the project, but expressed his displeasure on how the job was poorly executed despite the fact that the contract amount was fully paid. He said he is at a loss as to why UBEC could award the contract to unknown contractor.
