Orji Uzor Kalu, the senator representing Abia North Senatorial District, has facilitated several projects for his constituency through various federal agencies.
Some of those projects include roads, school renovations and empowerment programmes. However, some of these amenities, including the construction of O.I. Ukaegbu road in Igbere, Bende Local Government area of Abia State, have been characterised by subpar executions.
On Thursday, BudgIT Nigeria, an accountability non-profit organisation, posted on X that the O.I. Ukaegbu road project facilitated by Kalu and financed by the Federal Co-operative College Oji River, Enugu State, was poorly done.
Most importantly, the organisation revealed that the road was designed to be one kilometre long with a N150 million allocation. However, the contractors who handled it only built a 600-metre-long road at the same location.
A project signpost erected at the project site conspicuously indicated the length of the road to be 600 metres. The cost? N218.5 million, an amount nearly double the budgeted allocation.
“N218.5 million for this? Where’s the rest of the road, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu? This is a 600-metre road project constructed for N218.5 million under the Federal Co-operative College Oji River, Enugu, and facilitated by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, @OUKtweets,” BudgIT wrote.
“The road was supposed to be 1 km for N150 million, but we got a POORLY done 600 metres road. How is this acceptable?”
Despite not meeting the original design of the road, the company had received the full contract sum.
“Meanwhile, Tramstek Ltd. received N66.7 million on June 15, 2023, and another N66.7 million on December 11, 2023. Then Ice Target Global Ltd received N85 million on December 12, 2023. Half a road, twice the cost! Who are we kidding?” the post added.
WHO OWNS TRAMSTEK LTD?
FIJ looked into the ownership details of Tramstek Ltd. and Ice Target Global Ltd., the two companies linked to the project.
On the one hand, Tramsteck was registered on July 28, 1998, with Ukoha Ukoha Kalu Smart and Smart Kalu Ukoha as its directors.
FIJ was neither able to track Tramstek’s digital footprint nor its directors.
FIJ’s further findings revealed that the senator identified Ukoha as his brother. In an article seen on his website, the senator wrote of his attendance at the burial of one Smart Kalu Ukoha on October 30, 2019, the following:
The chief whip of the 9th assembly, Senator Dr Orji Uzor Kalu has spurred the Igbos and Nigerians at large to love themselves by fostering peaceful coexistence among one another.
The former Governor, bemoaned the level of greed in the Nigerian society among both the citizenry and public officeholders while calling on both parties to shun such vices in order to build the nation of our dreams. Kalu made this known while addressing the crowd who attended the burial ceremony of Elder/MG Smart Kalu Ukoha at Igbere in Bende LGA of Abia State.
In a post on Instagram on April 14, 2022, Kalu attended the burial of Deaconess Lovinah Chidinma where he especially commiserated with Okoha Smart whom he described as his brother.
“The funeral of Deaconess (Mrs) Lovinah Chidinma, aged 82 years, was attended by myself and fellow associates. While we mourn her passing on, we are grateful to God for a life well spent and also her impactful life to her family and the society. She will forever be remembered fondly,” his Instagram post read.
“I commiserate with her children, most especially my brother, Chief Ukoha Smart, Dr Ngozi Ogbuonye, Dr Oluchi Mildred, Dr Chineye Mba, Dr Nkechi Okoro, her grandchildren, son and daughters-in-law.”
A screenshot of the senator’s post via his verified Instagram page.
CE TARGET GLOBAL LTD ‘KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT THE PROJECT‘
On the other hand, Ice Target Global Ltd. was founded on August 19, 2015, with Christian Ifeanyi Okonkwo, Stanley Nonso Okonkwo and Benedict Elochukwu Okonkwo as its directors and shareholders.
When reached for comment, Christian Ifeanyi Okonkwo expressed shock that his company participated in the project, categorically denying executing the project or interacting with the senator about any such project.
“Ha-ha! Why I am asking you all these questions is because I cannot remember executing any project in Orji Uzor Kalu’s constituency. It is not possible. I have never been to his office. I have never executed his projects in any way,” Christian told FIJ on Friday.
Asked whether any of his associates used his company to bid for the project, he said, “I cannot remember. Unless I was not informed that it was for the purpose of that particular project. Other than that, I can tell you authoritatively that I don’t have any business with Orji Uzor Kalu before and now.”
FIJ shared a screenshot of the payment information obtained from Govspend.ng with him. The company’s chief executive officer reaffirmed his earlier statement. He, however, said he would check his bank account statement to be sure about the payment.
“It could be that a friend used my company for the project. But as an individual, I don’t have any relationship with Orji Uzor Kalu. But I will find out,” he said.
Kalu declined FIJ’s phone call on Thursday afternoon. On a second try via his known number, he did not answer his call.
FIJ also sent a list of questions to Kalu via SMS and WhatsApp without getting any response. The same questions were emailed to him but it had received no response at press time.
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PREVIOUS PROJECTS
Kalu, a two-time governor of Abia State and a senator under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) since 2019, appears to have a record of facilitating projects that were poorly carried out against public interest.
On August 15, FIJ reported how three road amenities facilitated by the senator were either abandoned, of low quality or done below budgetary specifications.
Umuaku Road in the Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia State was constructed in 2023 at the cost of N337 million. Barely a year later, the road began deteriorating.
Similarly, Arouika Road for which N27.1 million was released in the same LGA was abandoned. The only sign of work spotted at the site was a signpost showing the contractor’s name.
Still in the same LGA, the Ogwumabiri road was repaired with N34.7 million. However, it was below the length described in the 2023 budget. Less than a year after the repair, the surface of the road began peeling off.