- Decries Slow Pace Of Work At Issele-Azagba/Otulu Road
By Sunday Egede
Delta State Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Mr. Charles Aniagwu has called on Deltans to sustain their support for the Sheriff Oborevwori’s administration in its determination to expand the frontiers of sustainable development in the state through the MORE Agenda.
Aniagwu made the call in an interview with journalists shortly after inspecting the Issele-Azagba/Otulu Road project in Aniocha North Local Government Area as well as the Idumu Etiti Street project in Owerre Olubor and Mission Road/Ogboi Street project in Akumazi both in Ika North East Local Government Area of the state.
He disclosed that the state government was very much impressed with the kind of cooperation it was getting from various communities across the state over Governor Oborevwori’s developmental strides, adding that he does not need anybody to tell him that Deltans were very happy about the various road projects. The Commissioner pointed out that Governor Oborevwori was irrevocably committed to ensuring that Deltans get commensurate value for money spent on project, stressing that it was for this reason that the Governor placed emphasis on routine project inspection.
“The reason why we are going around to see these projects is because His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborowori has made it clear that we must derive value for the money that we deploy for the construction of projects, be they in the road sector, in the housing sector, in the health sector, in the education sector, or in any other sector for that matter.
“And for us to be able to derive that value, we need to ensure that we are not being short-changed by any of the contractors and that our field officers, the engineers, are also living up to expectation, ensuring that all projects are delivered according to specification as per the Bill of Engineering Measurement and Evaluation.
“That is the main reason why we have continued to visit these projects. And like we have mentioned, we have visited projects in Aniocha North and South.
We are now in lka North-East, all still to ensure that Deltans derive value for money being spent on the projects.
“We are very much impressed with the kind of cooperation we are getting from all these communities, I do not need anybody to tell me that they have been very, very happy about these roads. “They have, in spite of the fact that I am from this area, have continued to have kind words for the governor. And what we are also seeing is that the spread of these projects speaks to two major aspects of the governor’s plan of development which are meaningful development as well as opportunities for all.
“You could see that the governor is taking projects to different places. When we said that we are going to have 25 local government areas on the table of the governor for the purpose of development, we were not joking.
“I am happy that we are seeing that for every local government we go to, you could see projects. When the governor was given an award, he was awarded the best governor in terms of financial management and infrastructure.
“You could see that it is practical. We have seen some persons in the opposition who possibly do not even understand what is happening, and they are saying stories that are at variance with reality.
“The reality is that Governor Oborevwori is sure that he is going to continue to reply with projects, and you are seeing the projects. So, the more they go painting pictures that are not in line with reality, the more projects we are going to show to them that Oborevwori is not sleeping.
“I am happy that Deltans are always very appreciative people and by the grace of God, ahead of 2027, the people will speak, and they will speak very, very loud, because the projects of Oborevwori are even quite louder,” Aniagwu added.
… Decries Slow Pace Of Work At Issele-Azagba/Otulu Road
Delta State Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Mr. Charles Aniagwu has decried the slow pace of work by the contractor handling the Issele-Azagba/Otulu Road project in Aniocha North local government area of the state. Mr. Aniagwu, who was speaking while inspecting the road project, said he was not impressed with the speed at which the contractor was executing the project, adding that he had made his observations clearly known to the contractor.
According to him, if the contractor wanted to continue to work with the state government, he must first of all bring that speed to bear, saying that he had also pointed out a number of issues which the contractor needed to address to be able to meet up with the quality that the state government desires. “I am not impressed with their speed and I made it very clear to the contractor that it is either he hastens his speed or we take certain other decisions that he may not be comfortable with.
“So, if he wants to continue to work with us, he must first of all, bring that speed to bear. I have also pointed out a number of issues which he needs to address to be able to meet up with the quality that we do desire,” he said.
At Idumu Etiti Street, Owerre Olubor, in Ika North East local government area of the state, the commissioner said he was very much impressed with the performance index of the contractor on that particular road project.
“I am very much impressed with the work the contractor did on that particular road. If you drive through that road, you will see that a whole lot of engineering effort was deployed in the construction of the road.
“There was only one small area that is heading into the catch pit which needed to be addressed. We have instructed that they need to ensure that the water flows freely into the catch pit so that it does not begin to cut back on the pathway and then possibly now cause some form of destruction on the deck of the drain. The contractor has also promised that they are going to address that issue,” he added.
Speaking on the Mission Road/Ogboi Street project in Akumazi, also in Ika North East local government area of the state, Mr. Aniagwu noted with delight that the asphalt work on the road was very much okay.
“Before coming to this particular drain, this particular road, the asphalt work is very much okay. There are, however, some challenges with some of the drain heading towards the catch pit, which is off the main alignment of the road.
“And the contractor has also, promised to address some of those shortcomings, particularly to terminate the drain straight into the catch pit, because if you leave it hanging, there is a tendency with the momentum of the flood water, that it may cause some other devastating effects on property around that particular corridor.
“Bearing in mind that the people who have plots of land in that area are some peasant farmers who may not have the money to begin to take steps to prevent the effect of such a level of flood that may have to flow through the drains. So, the contractor has also promised to go back and address it.
“I have given him three weeks maximum to be able to deal with those issues and that we are coming back here to ensure that that has been done. Without those things being done, nobody is going to bring forward to me the certificates for him to be paid his money.
“And I know that he is interested in getting his money. If he must get his money, he must get the work done and done completely to our satisfaction,” the Works and Public Information Commissioner stated.
