Anambra’s N3bn ‘black hole’ government house rots away

24 years after inception and N3 billion down the drain, Anambra Government House project rots away, www.odogwublog.com brings you Pamela Eboh reports in New Telegraph

It was initiated as a world class project by the military regime of a former military governor of Anambra State, Col. Mike Attah, after the creation of the state in 1991. It was fashioned to be a bespoke project befitting of a government house in the newborn Anambra State. That dream unfortunately was not to be as the edifice, which was to be named after Nigeria’s first president and late Owelle of Onitsha, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, has been abandoned to rats, lizards and other crawling creatures while some portions have been turned into a defecation spots for okada riders and the like. The once imposing building is now overgrown with bushes while some of the walls have started showing signs of weakness. A greater part of the entire building’s roof has been removed.
Though Attah conceived the project, actual construction work did not begin until 1999 under Governor Chinwoke Mbadinuju. The Zik government house edifice was ultimately billed to cost a little over N300m, but later became a sort of an unending pit that kept swallowing funds. The contract was awarded to a company originally owned by an influential Anambra businessman, but the erstwhile selfacclaimed godfather of Anambra politics, Chief Chris Uba, took over the mouth watering contract. However, between 1999 and 2003, the contract was reviewed upwards, such that it was finally abandoned during the Ngige administration as he vehemently refused to continue with the payment for the project.
The payment was tied to deductions from the state’s monthly allocation. It was Governor Chris Ngige, in his bid to rescue Anambra State, that stopped the controversial Irrevocable Standing Payment Order from the state’s allocations that allegedly ran to the tune of N10 billion. At the last count, a whooping sum of N3 billion had been sunk into the project. Though the building got to the roofing level before it was abandoned, most of the fittings had been vandalized. Some persons removed the long span aluminum roofing sheets and were not caught. The edifice was allegedly planned to serve as both the governor’s office and lodge with guest houses and offices for Government House staff. When Sunday Telegraph visited the abandoned edifice, it was an eye sore as destitute of the state and hoodlums had turned the entire building into an abode.
Dry and fresh faeces littered spaces within and around the fenced structures with the gate securely locked from behind. A section of the bush surrounding the complex had been turned into a farm. Also, the bush around the complex has grown beyond proportion, the size it was said to be when the land was acquired for the project. During the Peter Obi administration, words made round that he would complete the project. But, apparently because completing it was like starting afresh, he abandoned it and started making moves to build a new one. He could not get around it before leaving office.
However, in his effort to improve on where his predecessor stopped, Governor Willie Obiano began the construction of a befitting government house at the Agu-Awka area of the state capital. The 22,000sq meter landscape project, which will be a three arms zone, will contain the governor’s office/lodge, judiciary complex, House of Assembly and banquet hall. The project worth about $30 million is being constructed by IDC Construction Company and is expected to be ready in 18 months. At the time of visit to the project site, which is described as a ‘house on the hill,’ work had gone beyond the foundation level while the road to the governor’s office had already been graded. According to the manager of the construction firm, Wadih Chrem, the entire four arm zone is one of a kind and will be delivered as according to plan.
However, information has it that the state government is toying with the idea of using the abandoned government house project as an arm of the Anambra State University Teaching Hospital. While the Obiano administration is yet to conclude on what to make of the project, one wonders if it was really a priority project well planned by the Attah military regime, started by the Mbadinuju administration and stopped by the Ngige government. The question remains: Was the project awarded to a competent firm or was it a contract intended as a bottomless pit? When contacted on the telephone, Uba said he was not in the best position to speak on the issue. He said his company’s engineers were better placed to discuss the matter. He also denied knowledge of the removal of the roofing sheets by unknown persons. His words, “I cannot talk about the contract over the phone. Unfortunately, I’m in Abuja.
However, it is my engineers that are supposed to speak on that issue since they are the ones handling the project. I have no idea that the roofing sheets of the building are being removed. Who ordered their removal? Anyway, I will look into that to find out. Thank you.” All efforts to get the Commissioner for Information, Mrs. Ujunwa Nwogu, to speak on the issue proved abortive as she refused to pick her calls. She did not also respond to a message sent to her phone. Also, Mbadinuju, whose administration awarded the contract could not be reached.