By Chris Steven, Abuja
Tony Nwoye, the All Progressives Congress (APC), governorship candidate in Anambra State November 18 election, has expressed delight over the decision by the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing to move to the site of the abandoned Onitsha – Enugu expressway.
Speaking after a courtesy call on Babatunde Fashola, Minister of Power, Works and Housing, on Monday morning, Nwoye said the Ministry has ordered the contractor to move to site within two days to resume work on the road which had been abandoned for some time now.
“I have the assurance of the Minister that the contractors would move to site within two days,” Nwoye was quoted as saying in a statement issued by his spokesman, Nonso Madu .
“Even before I became the candidate of the APC, that road had been on my agenda and it was by God’s grace and with the assistance of my colleagues in the House of Representatives I was able to put it in the 2017 budget of the Federal Government.”
“The importance of that road to the socio-economic well- being of the people of the Southeast cannot be over-emphasised and it is my hope that once the road is completed that business and other socio-economic affairs that had been affected by its terrible conditions would be boosted.”
The statement noted that Nwoye was able to meet the Minister and pushed the demands because of the platform he had as a candidate, saying that as governor he would be able to push more things to the interests of Ndi Anambra.
“The minister received me because I was the central player that pushed the project into the 2017 budget and also because I have an enhanced platform as a governorship candidate and for this I am grateful to the people and also to the Minister.
“This is also a demonstration to all those who have confidence in our political project that as governor I would be able to do more for our people.”
At the flag-off of his campaign penultimate Friday, Nwoye had asked Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to order the contractors handling the project to immediately go back to site.
“This is to tell those who say that I was too bold in telling the Vice President during the flag-off to order the contractors to go back to site that the Federal Government would respond to our demands when they are genuinely made and for this I am grateful to President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice-President Osinbajo and off course, to Mr. Fashola who is directly in charge and has been sympathetic to the project.”
