The joy of the people of Ozubulu and Atani in Anambra State knew no bounds yesterday – thanks to the flagging off of work on the N9 billion Ozubulu-Atani Road project. Already, the three major bridges on the road, replacing the old ones built by the colonialists, and the 30 culverts started in November 2012, are 90% completed.

Gov. Peter Obi who inspected the three bridges of about 40 metres each before the flag-off ceremony, expressed happiness at the pace of work on the project. He said that the same speed with which the bridges were built would apply to the building of the roads.

“For the roads to be completed within record time, we have engaged three tested contractors. While one is doing the bridges and culverts, one will start the actual road from Ozubulu end which we are commissioning today, while the remaining contractor will soon start from Atani end of the road,” he said.

Calling on the people to take ownership of the project, the governor advised them to be interested in people that put themselves up for governance. His words: “Electioneering is approaching. Men of diverse characters are putting themselves forward to become governor. Some of them are without character; some are devoid of the temperament to become governor, while some do not even understand what the office is all about. Some are prancing all over the place thinking that indiscretion in spending of money is a substitute for merit. Shine your eyes!” Earlier in his remarks, the State Commissioner for Works, Arc. Callistus Ilozumba, said that the road with its three bridges and more than 30 box culverts would cost the state N9 billion, assuring that with three contractors on the road, that it would be completed in good enough time.

The commissioner said that the road was costly because of its terrain, which would involve a lot of engineering work. He said that no governor since the creation of Anambra State worked on roads with such terrain in the state because of capital involvement. “This government,” he said, “is working on many such roads as the roads in Anambra East and West and Ogbaru.”

The flag-off ceremony was witnessed by many Ozubulu people that returned home for the event. Speaking, one of them, Mr. Chinedu Okeke, said it was thing of joy to witness what real governance is all about as shown by Obi.

•Photo: Gov. Peter Obi (middle); Works Commissioner, Arc. Callistus Ilozumba (left), and the rep of the contractor . . . yesterday in Ozubulu.