By Jennifer John
Imo State Commissioner for Works, Ralph Nwosu has disclosed that the premium which the administration places on the safety of Citizens informed its decision to demolish the tunnels at Imo House of Assembly and Concorde Hotel junction, Port Harcourt Road, Owerri.
The Commissioner who was reacting to the demolition of the tunnels clarified that the action was in the best interest of Imolites and other who ply the route.
He said the tunnels were built in most substandard fashion,adding that as a responsive government, it will be a great disservice to allow the people it has come to protect to continue to ply through the tunnels.
Nwosu described the tunnels as a time bombs waiting to explode.
The commissioner disclosed that the tunnels had cracks,stressing that it was more cost effective to pull them down and return the road to its original state, even as the present government did not meet any documents relating to the tunnels.
He said there had been several warnings of the danger posed by the tunnels which has been described as substandard, with high risk of collapsing in the near future.
He said prosecuting those responsible for the substandard projects was not in the immediate plan of the government,saying that the priority of the government was to demolish the tunnels in order to prevent the impending calamity of its possible collapse.
The Commissioner urged motorists, Imolites, and others who ply the road to exercise patience, stressing that it is better to endure the pains of diversion for a short period than having to be a victim or witness of its collapse.
