Concerned Imo State sons and daughters have questioned why the state governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, abandoned the Old Nekede-Ihiagwa FUTO Road during the dry season but commenced work on the road at the beginning of this year's rainy season.
Those who questioned his level of sincerity said his action is an indirect display of lack of seriousness. Speaking to newsmen, Chief Ben Ekeh said, "The governor had a good opportunity to work on the road during the dry season, but he kept mute over it. Now that we're approaching the rainy season, he wants to do the road. It doesn't show he means well for us."
June, July, and August are the peak months of the rainy season. What can he achieve during this period? The governor had the opportunity to commence work on the road from November last year to April this year, but he failed to do so, apparently due to lack of seriousness.
In the words of Mr. Timothy Anukam, "The governor just woke up from sleep to begin work on the road because of the burial of Chief Chris Asoluka, Okwuruoha Oha Owerri. He knows that dignitaries will attend the burial ceremony, and the road will make a mockery of him and his Vanguard Award as the Infrastructural Governor of the year."
"The governor is playing smart," Anukam added. "If not for the burial, nothing would have compelled Uzodimma to commence work on the road at this odd period of the year. You can fool people sometimes, but you cannot fool all the people all the time."
Some residents who spoke to newsmen, including Mr. Vincent Ajoku, Grace Ajoku, Mrs. Joy Oparanozie, and Mrs. Chinyere Chineke, condemned the commencement of work at the beginning of the rainy season when the governor had the opportunity to do so during the dry season.
However, others, such as Mr. Kelechi Akujuobi, Ijeoma Nkwazema, and Kingsley Ofurum, commended the governor for starting the road and appealed to him to speed up the work before the peak of the rainy season.
Similarly, residents of Nekede Old Road condemned the slow pace of work, questioning why the governor commenced work at the beginning of the rainy season. They also condemned the shoddy drainage works done by inexperienced Hausa laborers, stating that it looked like a bushy narrow path.
A transporter, Mr. Tony Ekeocha, joined Mr. Jude Ogbonna, Mrs. Chinedu Ibe, and Mr. Frances Oparaugo in condemning the work at the commencement of the rainy season, questioning the sincerity of the governor's intention. They called on him to match activity with productivity in the execution and completion of the road project.