From Zara Nwachinemere, Abakaliki
Ebonyi State government, Wednesday, announced the suspension of all operations on the Effium axis of the ring road, in Ohaukwu local government area of the state for seven days.
He announced the suspension after an expanded security council meeting at the new Government House, Abakaliki.
The suspension followed the kidnap of 5 workers operating on the road by unknown gunmen last month in Effium Community of Ohaukwu Local Government Area of the State.
Umahi said they have scheduled a meeting with the family of the consultant who was at kidnapped at Effium.
“Incidentally, they are Five and the other four are not known to us because non of them are listed as staff of the consultant in the agreement we signed. Only LENA the late consultant was listed”, he noted.
Umahi who was visibly angry during the security meeting declared that he would not hesitate to shut down any axis of the road which poses any security threat.
He demanded a sworn affidavit form all the traditional rulers, Town Union Presidents, Chairmen of the local governments and coordinators where the roads are passing to be drafted by the SSG and HAG.
He said the affidavit will be that those mentioned will take responsibility for the security of the contractors, consultants, and everyone involved in the discharge of their duties and also their equipments.
“Anyone I do not get after seven days, no negotiation, I will shut down that section and it will never be reopen on account of insecurity. The contractors should also stop having very funny approach to issues . You have to appoint liaison officer in all the communities the project is passing through in your section, and you will not choose by yourself. The people that sworn the affidavit are the people that will put the liaison officers . They will also give the names of local vigilante and this local vigilante will be two.
“There will be more than 10 local vigilantes on the machine that will be patrolling your section day and night while another set will be stationed at the yards of the contractors and you will pay them how much we are paying to Ebubeagu. I want them to be registered under Ebubeagu security outfit so that the law will cover them.
“The consultant on security, implementation unit , HAG and SSG will see to this within seven days. Anyone that doesn’t comply to this directive within seven days, we will shut down the site.
“The second aspect of the security is the police and Army. Any contractor who failed to comply to this will leave the site. Time has come for the project unit and the consultants and contractors to go back to CP, to discuss the security requirements with Army.
“I want to see your lives as safe and work without fear and this must happen within the next seven days. You don’t play a game with your security, there is insecurity all over the country and Ebonyi state is not different but through the help of this people here, we are doing even better than other states but nothing is taking for granted.
“I will not guarantee as the Chief Security Officer the lives and properties of anybody who fails to comply to these two sense of directives.
“On the Effium axis, am suspending all operations on the site for the next seven days. We will want similar commitment from the stakeholders there. 20 People from Effium and 20people from Effium Ezza side that will get committed together with the traditional rulers, Town Union Presidents, Chairmen and Coordinators that will get commitment that we can return to site. If you want to inspect the equipment of the contractors, you can inspect it outside the site and I am not going to release any money for mobilization to that section until I am sure that the work will be done” he stated.
“I also want to tell you that nobody should play games with the duration of completing the job because if the project is not finished, it will not be good to your image… I have also written that should the project exceeds in terms of the budget or the loan, we took from African Developing Bank, that I will use state fund to do that is why I won’t like anyone to get me into that because I have my problem in the state interns of financing. So put your mind within the contract limit excluding the jobs that we believe are not needed to be executed” he stated.
