DELTA State Government, has explained that it is intervening on several Federal Government roads across the state to enable Deltans and other Nigerians to have unfettered access to convey goods and services.
The State Commissioner for Works (Rural and Riverine Roads), Mr. Charles Aniagwu, disclosed this during an inspection of ongoing rehabilitation and reconstruction of the old Umutu-Abraka-Eku Road at Abraka in Ethiope East Local Government Area of the state.
Aniagwu, who frowned at the state of federal roads in the state, said Governor Sheriff Oborevwori is determined to complete the road as an alternative to the failed Umutu/Eku road.
Flanked by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Sir Festus Ahon and Functioning Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works (Rural and Riverine Roads), Engr. Solomon Aghagba, he said; “we are intervening to ensure that our people have alternative routes to commute”, while pleading with the Federal Government to fasttrack the reconstruction of the Agbor-Abraka-Amukpe road.
“The road has been awarded by the Federal government and they started from the Amukpe end. We hope that they increase the speed of their work; and even if they are not able to dualise completely, let them work on one lane so that our people can commute well on that corridor.
“Right from time, we have always intervened on Federal roads. The Ughelli-Asaba expressway that we are constructing is a federal road but we are doing it because it serves our people and it serves Nigerians.
“We are hoping and pleading with the Federal Government to take proper responsibility of maintaining the federal roads because the reason why the Federal Government has as much as 52 per cent of revenue allocation is because it is reasoned that the Federal Government has lots of responsibilities.
“Of course, it is often said that to whom much is given, much is expected. So, we do hope that the Federal Government sheds their load and the revenue they take or retain the revenues they take but at the same time, take responsibility for the reasons that revenues are given disproportionately in their favour.”
He said; “we ought to have finished this road by now, but as we progressed, we noticed that there were other things we needed to do, particularly with the Mudi Beach road in Abraka.
“Not quite long after the contract was awarded, prices of construction materials skyrocketed and I am impressed with what the contractor has done here on the Mudi Beach Road.
“When we return, we will take a second look at the contract price to enable him to speed up the project to completion.”
He condemned acts of blocking of drains by developers, adding that such nefarious acts could have serious consequences on flooding the environment and urged residents and zonal engineers to ensure that such acts do not happen again across the state.
At the Okan Junction to Agbarho Road, Aniagwu, while lauding the contractor for his speed and quality of work, said Governor Oborevwori was pursuing completion of projects awarded by his administration with the same zest he used in completing some projects he inherited.
The Commissioner, who also inspected the Esezi Road dualisation project at Orerokpe, added that the many projects under construction across the state were indications that the Governor’s MORE Agenda aimed at advancing Delta was very much on course.
