The ongoing controversy surrounding the N72 billion non-existent public school scandal in Governor Alex Otti’s administration continues to raise serious questions about transparency and accountability. In what appears to be an attempt to shift attention, Otti’s government has recently highlighted the completion of the Omenuko Bridge.
While the bridge is a welcome development for the people of Abia North, it is important to recognise the critical role President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Federal Government played in making it a reality. Unfortunately, the Governor has not acknowledged this support, choosing instead to downplay the contributions that made the project possible.
The Omenuko Bridge project was originally awarded by the Federal Government in 2017 to Setraco Construction Company for about N1 billion for a 24 metre span. With inflation and current economic realities, the cost has reportedly risen to about N4 billion. At how much did Governor Otti repaired it, because the original design of 24 metres was altered and reduced significantly.
Funding federal roads, including this one, has always been a challenge. President Tinubu addressed this by allowing states to take over federal road projects, with reimbursement from the Federal Government.
The President gave Abia State approval to embark on seven major federal road projects, including Omenuko Bridge. Without this approval, the state could not have moved forward with the project, regardless of available funds.
The previous administration had a policy that discouraged or outright blocked states from working on federal roads. In contrast, President Tinubu introduced reforms that significantly increased monthly allocations to states from N6 billion to N38 billion, giving them the capacity to handle such projects.
Reimbursement for the Port Harcourt Road in Aba, another federal project, is already being processed by the Federal Ministry of Works.
What’ is concerning is that while states like Imo openly collaborated with the Federal Government and disclosed project costs, like the 46km Owerri to Elele dualisation at N203 billion, Abia residents are still in the dark about how much was spent on the Omenuko Bridge. This lack of transparency raises questions.
Governor Otti owes Abians the truth about the Federal Government’s role in these projects. Even though Abia is led by an opposition party, President Tinubu’s support has been consistent and impactful. He deserves credit.
Yes, the bridge is a great achievement but it does not erase the concerns about the N72 billion reportedly spent on non-existent public schools, a scandal that remains unresolved. Celebrating a bridge while ignoring major financial questions is misleading.
Frankly, without President Tinubu’s approval, that old bridge would likely still be standing regardless of Governor Otti’s intentions. Just as we commend the bridge repair, we must also examine the full picture and give credit where it is due.