The Governor of Ebonyi State and the Chairman of South-East Governors forum, Engr. David Nweze Umahi, has debunked media report that leaders of the zone were sabotaging the construction of the 2nd Niger bridge.
Umahi stated this in a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Hon. Uchenna Orji, on Thursday December 5.
He reiterated that the media report that the south east leaders were sabotaging President Muhammadu Buhari on the ongoing construction of second Niger bridge by the federal government, was false and was published to dent the image of the zone.
The governor noted that south east leaders were excited over the on going construction work and were eager to assist in any way they can to ensure that the project was completed, adding that he was quoted out of context.
“The reporter misrepresented the expressions and intentions of the Governor of Ebonyi state and the Chairman South East Governors’ Forum, His Excellency, Engr. David Nweze Umahi, in his speech on the second Niger bridge, during a courtesy call on him by Hon. Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Chief Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah.
“We wish to state categorically, that the Governor was quoted out of context and out of shear ignorance of the reporter regarding the facts and the incidents that brought about the words of admonition the Governor made to host communities over federal government projects cited in their communities.
“The Governor did not at any time mention that leaders of the zone are sabotaging ongoing construction of the second Niger bridge as reported.
“The issues between the federal ministry of Works and Housing and the Host communities, and the progress of work at the second Niger bridge have been sorted out generously.
” The pace of work has improved and for us it is a major achievement in the socioeconomic profile of the south east, for which we shall continue to be grateful to the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed forces of the federal republic of Nigeria, Muhammau Buhari, the statement reads”.
He also urged members of the public to discountenance the media report in a national daily and to dismiss the insinuations thereof as, ” contextually misleading and incongruous with the exact words used by the Governor, he added
