Kohima, March 15 (MExN): Barely a week after relinquishing power, the Naga People’s Front (NPF) appears to have taken the role of a virtuous opposition.
On Thursday, the NPF Media Cell released a statement preaching governance to its former leader – Neiphiu Rio, and advising the new People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA) Government to ensure the improvement of road conditions in the state.
While welcoming the PDA Government’s announcement that roads in all district headquarters would be repaired within 60 days, the NPF held that making an announcement was one thing while implementing the announcement is quite a different thing altogether.
Pointing out that there are no funds with the State Government, the NPF taunted, “Is Rio going to wave a magic wand and produce new sanctions from thin air?”
“Or is he going to let his coterie of contractors execute the works without following any procedure or formality, provide haphazard jobs and escalate the costs astronomically while making payments through additional funds in the long run as have been his practice in the past?” the NPF questioned in the scoffing press statement.
“The latter is most likely and we can expect the deficit level of the State’s finances to further worsen in the days to come. Indeed, change is coming!” it stated.
“Instead of finding flimsy excuses to mint money by the coterie of contractors supporting the PDA Government at the expense of the public, the Government of the day should pursue with a missionary zeal the various road projects put up by the previous Government with the Government of India and bring the proposals to fruition,” it advised.
The NPF Media Cell insisted that the former governments headed by Dr. Shurhozelie Liezietsu and TR Zeliang "tried their best to provide quality roads to the people of Nagaland" and further sought to take credit for the 12 road projects announced by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MORTH) for the State.
“The bad road condition in Nagaland has always been the main concern of the then NPF-led DAN Government and the former Chief Ministers TR Zeliang and Dr Shurhozelie Liezietsu had taken up the matter on a war footing with the Central Government,” the NPF claimed.
“Their persistence and perseverance have paid off and the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has finally announced approval of 12 road projects in the State amounting to over Rs 3000 crore which is a record of sorts in itself,” it added while extending appreciation to the Government of India for heeding to its demands.
It further urged the PDA Government to ensure that the highways from Niuland (Dimapur) – Guzunyu Junction (Tseminyu) – Pughoboto – Satakha – Aghunato – Shamatore – Noklak – Pangsha; Dimapur – Kohima Capital Road (Byepass) Highway; Trans Eastern Highway connecting Longwa – Pangsha – Mimi and Avangkhu, among other proposals, are started immediately without any hindrances and completed within the stipulated period.
