CCC and South Eastern Roads: Matters Arising

The CCC is one of the construction companies in Nigeria working on some of the Federal or State roads in different parts of the country. CCC is presently working on some roads in the South Eastern part of Nigeria. CCC is working on the Onitsha-Owerri Road, from the Onitsha through Uli area. That road is yet to be completed, especially the Okija-Azia-Ihiala axis for some years ---whereas the Owerri-Mgbidi section of the same road has since been completed by the Julius Berger Plc. CCC is also working on the Oba-Nnewi-Ekwulumili-Okigwe Federal Road, as well as the Ichi-Nnewi-Ozubulu Federal Road.

Works on the Oba-Nnewi-Ekwulumili-Okigwe have stopped since April of this year (2011) at the Traffic Junction area of Umudim Nnewi without any reasons for not reaching the Amichi-Ekwulumili-Unubi-Uga terminal. As disturbing as the situation is, the so-called completed areas of the road in Umudim Nnewi are unprofessionally done as rains have washed off some of the roads due to absence of gutters in some areas and/or construction of gutters in non-erosion tracks/channels.

Back to the Ichi-Nnewi-Ozubulu Federal Road, CCC is not doing a good job at all. It appears as if the quality of work is either left to casual workers or being supervised by quack engineers. The same evaluation applies to the Oba-Nnewi-Ekwulumili-Okigwe Federal Road. Ethically speaking, there seems to be an infrastructural indifferentism among the government and citizenry when public resources are invested in public utilities like road rehabilitation/construction in the South Eastern part of Nigeria. South East Governors owe their people the duty of liaising with the appropriate federal/state ministries in monitoring projects going on in their geopolitical zone. This is a conscious civic culture that promotes excellence of service and judicious use of the tax-payers' resources. Please, let Governor Peter Obi of Anambra and Owelle Rochas Okorocha of Imo take a tour of the Oba-Nnewi-Ekwulumili-Okigwe Federal Road and see the glaring engineering inefficiency of CCC. Equally, the new Minister of Works' visit to the road will help the Honourable Minister to invite CCC to Abuja for questioning and/or review of the contract. This will serve as a veritable platform for promoting the Good Luck Transformation Agenda for the Vision 2020. Also, Oba, Ichi, Ojoto, Nnewi, Amichi, Ekwulumili, Uga, Ozubulu, Okigwe and Arondizuogu have every reason to collectively appeal to the Ministry of Works for either CCC to do a good job or leave in order for another construction company to complete the roads.

Commuters and passersby using these roads face difficulties during this rainy season. This writer joins many well-meaning Nigerians in appealing to the new Minister of Works, Governors Peter Obi and Owelle Rochas Okorocha and the Communities hosting these roads to issue warning to CCC, or possibly, institute a legal action against CCC --- thus mandating them (CCC) to work in line with global and local standards for road construction/rehabilitation. It is the general expectation of Nigerians that contractors be ethical in rendering services for the common good and posterity. Let CCC rethink their vision and mission as a civil engineering company in Nigeria. If the quality of works exhibited in Nnewi-Ekwulumili-Okigwe Federal Road (with Umudim/Otolo Nnewi-Amichi-Ekwulumili-Unubi-Uga-Okigwe yet to be completed), Ichi-Nnewi-Ozubulu Federal Road (with Nnewi Triangle-Ozubulu-Ihembosi-Okija yet to be completed), Onitsha-Owerri Federal Road (with Ihiala-Azia Junction-Okija yet to be completed) by CCC was their professional standard, then, let CCC forgo the thought of working on Nigerian roads again as a civil engineering construction company in the present and near future. In this Third Millennium, all contractors including CCC, must spare no shovel or tractor in delivering the state-of-the-art services to Nigerian projects/works.

The next time you use any of the above roads, spare a thought on the present and future ethical implications for road construction/rehabilitation in South East of Nigeria and other parts of Nigeria. After your journey, kindly share your thoughts on Nigerian roads with Nigerians, using any of the social networks. This sharing is a civic way of starting a culture of life: refusing to keep silence in the face of evil and refusing to be a partner in evil. Let this culture of life begin now!