Traders in Ochanja market and landlords of its neighbourhood in Fegge, the headquarters of Onitsha South Local Council of Anambra State have protested against a move by some desperate politicians to discredit the state governor, Chukwuma Soludo’s road project in the area.
The protest followed a viral video, which depicted a portion of a road being constructed by the governor as washed away by the first rain in the state.
The traders and landlords came out in their numbers with placards to counter what they described as a fabricated lie.
Some of the inscriptions on the placards read: “Politicians will not Campaign again with Ochanja Road, Thanks You Soludo,” “Stop Playing Politics of Calumny,” “Ochanja Road is Standard, Solution is Here,” “Our IGR is Working, Our Tax is Working,” Eight Years for Solution Government” and
There’s No Vacancy at Agu-Awka.”
Speaking on behalf of the protesters at newly renovated Ochanja Roundabout, Chief Okwudili Obinwanne said the joint protest was against the antics of some desperate politicians who are sparing no effort to discredit the good work that Governor Soludo is doing in Ochanja, Onitsha and Anambra State as a whole.”
Obinwanne berated the rumour making the round that the poor standard of road construction accounted for the wash away of the surface coal-tar during the first rain in the commercial city, adding that there’s nothing wrong with the road.
According to him, the development doesn’t warrant the blame game and campaign of calumny being orchestrated against Soludo and his government.
Obinwanne recalled that for over four decades, previous administration overlooked the dusty and cratered road without doing even palliative work until Soludo embarked on its reconstruction just two years in office.
Corroborating, Mrs Imelda Akunobi who resides at Fegge said since 1999, no governor has remembered the road until Governor Soludo came on board.
Akunobi, who is a retired teacher, recalled the harrowing experiences of passers-by and residents crossing the muddy road as they have to go with spare shoes and dresses to change while going for their daily businesses or works.
An orange seller at the market, Mrs Eucharia Chukwuma (alias Nwanyi Achalla) said before Governor Soludo came on board, flood used to carry children whenever it rains, but all that has become history.
