BY NATIONAL PANEL REPORTERS
Governor David Nweze Umahi of Ebonyi State.
Ebonyi State government on Tuesday condoled with the families of the five missing engineers who were handling Effium axis of the Abakaliki Ring Road and described the incidence as unfortunate and disheartening.
The state government also exonerated itself from the missing of the engineers contrary to allegations heralded by people in some quarters.
According to the Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Barr Orji Uchenna Orji, who briefed newsmen in Abakaliki, the state government had no hand in the missing of the engineers.
Recall that Effium axis, where the incidence took place, turned a war zone since January 22 this year, when the people of Effium and Ezza in Effium Community in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of the state began to clash against themselves, leaving many lives and property wasted in the area.
It could be recalled that the five engineers who were handling the ring road project in the said Effium war-torn-zone, were early last month abducted by suspected warlords while supervising the road project and have not been seen since that time.
The information commissioner said: “It has become imperative to put the records straight on the allegations and misrepresentation of facts conveyed to the public from certain quarters over the unfortunate incident that befell Mr. Nelson Onyeme, an engineer, of Nelan Consulting Firm and other four engineers whose services we suppose, were hired by Nelan Company to work in the phase two of the African Development Bank sponsored section of Abakaliki Ring Road Project as they are not in the list of employees submitted to Ebonyi State Government by Nelan Consultants.”
He also stated that the state government was not aware of the coming of the missing engineers to the site till the news about their abduction broke out.
"For the records, Ebonyi State government and the personnel executing the contract job were never contacted or informed about the coming of the officials of Nelan Consulting firm on the fateful day.
"The State Government had a meeting with all Companies/ Contractors involved in the Abakaliki Ring Road Project over the security situation in a few points within the project locations.
"Nelan Consulting firm is merely a supervising firm whose job supervision commitment was going to be 8 days per month in the whole of 24 months project duration.
"The resident Engineer and main contractor being supervised by Nelan Consulting firm has never shown presence till this moment.
"All we gathered from Security report after the ugly incident was that it was the contractor, Marco Nigeria Ltd that had contacted Mr. Nelson Onyeme to go to site," he added.
