The Aba Ngwa Peoples Forum (Group), representing the residents of Aba-Ngwa, has vehemently denied reports circulating on social media alleging that indigenes of Aba-Agwa obstructed the Port Harcourt road contract awarded to Julius Berger Nigeria PLC.
In a press conference held on Wednesday at Obuda Community Hall, Aba South LGA, the forum addressed the accusations, labeling them as unfounded and orchestrated by enemies seeking to impede the critical road project.
According to a communiqué issued and signed by Chimezie Nwagba, President, and Chinedu Ahuruonye, Secretary of the forum, the rumors suggesting that compensation demands were made to contractors before the reconstruction of the vital Port Harcourt road were baseless and malicious. The group condemned what they termed “cheap blackmail” and called on the Abia State government to identify and expose the sponsors of the false reports.
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Contrary to the social media claims, the forum clarified that they never obstructed Port Harcourt Road demanding monetary compensation, nor were they detained in Umuahia on the orders of Governor Alex Otti. The group urged the public to disregard the misinformation and insisted on the public disclosure of the identities of those purportedly arrested for proper scrutiny.
Emphasizing their commitment to development, the Aba-Ngwa indigenes called on the Abia State Government to ensure the commencement of work at the Port Harcourt Road site. Expressing their support for all infrastructural activities in Aba, the group affirmed their dedication to the progress of Abia State and dismissed any insinuation that they would sabotage development efforts.
“As progressive-minded people, we will continue to support every effort at building and restoring infrastructure in Aba and can never be a cog in the wheel of development of Aba, our beautiful land and Abia State in general, knowing that we stand to benefit most when Aba roads are built because we have no other home than Aba,” the group declared.
The forum urged residents of Aba to disregard the alleged blackmail against Aba-Ngwa people, emphasizing their eagerness to witness the complete development of their land. Dodoh Okafor, the Special Assistant on Public Communications to Governor Alex Otti, has also refuted the social media reports, describing them as concocted and misleading in a statement issued recently.