Delta urges road contractors to speed-up projects

Daniel Efe/Warri

Delta Government has called on contractors handling road projects in the state to speed up work before the wet season would properly set in.

The Commissioner for Works, Chief James Augoye, made the call in Agbarho, Ughelli North Council Area of the state, while inspecting the three-kilometre Agbarho-Orherhe-Otokutu road and bridge section one.

Augoye said that the project was earlier awarded to another contractor, but that the contractor failed to mobilise to site.

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State

He commended the contractor handling the project, Feborze Global Venture, for the quality of work and urged them to complete the project within three months.

“You will recall that this project was earlier awarded to another contractor, who failed to mobilise to site until the governor directed that the project be re-awarded to this present contractor.

“I must commend their pace and quality of work and I urge them to complete the project within the next three months,” he added

The Project Manager, Mr Ifeanyi Ochuba, said that the project was 75 per cent completed and that it would be completed in the next three months.

The commissioner also inspected the three-kilometre road with reinstatement of collapsed bridge at Oduaran road in Ughelli, and said that the road was cut-off last September due to flooding in the area and commended the contractor for the pace of work.

“As at September, last year, this road was cut-off and the governor directed that the road should be reconstructed and the bridge reinstated.”

The Chairman of Obakpor Engineering Company Ltd., Chief John Oguma, said the project was delayed due to the Coronavirus pandemic but assured that it would be completed in July, 2020.

Also,the State reaffirmed its determination to complete ongoing construction of Trans-Warri road and bridges in Warri South Local Government Area of the state.

The Commissioner for Works in the state, Chief James Augoye, made the pledge while briefing newsmen shortly after inspecting the project.

He said that the inspection was to ensure that all contractors handling projects for government were on site in line with the state government’s directive to them to return to site following to substantial relaxation of the lockdown occasion by COVID-19 pandemic.

He stated that the multi-billion naira road project which comprised 25.8 kilometres and 19 bridges linking Ubeji, Ifie, Ijala, Ogbodede, Inorin, Ajigba, Orugbo, Usele, Ode-Itsekiri was awarded in 2006 but that the contractor moved to site in November, 2007.

“Although the project has several spurs to other communities, this administration decided that the contractor should concentrate on the main alignment.

“The contractors are presently trying to complete the remaining 5 bridges and once they are done with that they will continue on the road work.

“The quality of work is very high and I must commend the contractors for doing a good job. However, let me urge them to increase the pace of work to ensure that this project is completed by the end of next year.

“Of course, I also know that they have challenges in terms of financing of the project but we are all aware of the state of the country’s finances and Delta State is also affected. Governor Ifeanyi Okowa is doing everything possible to ensure prompt completion of this project,” he said

Augoye disclosed that the project had opened up the Ubeji to Ifie side of the Warri River and had attracted six tank farms and other multi-billion naira investments and urged the contractors to speed up the pace of work in order to meet the December, 2021 completion timeline.

“As you can see the road has not been completed but it has opened up the other side of the river to much economic activities and if this other side of the river is completed, it means that it will create more economic activities for the people around this area,” he stated.

Special Director of the project, Chief Otimeyin Adam, commended the governor for “his avowed commitment to complete the project’’.

He said that Okowa’s administration had reduced the state government’s indebtedness to the contractor from N9 billion to N3 billion and expressed optimism that the project would be completed according to agreement.

Earlier, Area Manager of Setraco, Delta Region, Mr Joseph Helby said that the company was determined to complete the project at the end of 2021.

“We have completed 14 of the bridges while work is ongoing on the remaining five bridges; we have also completed 95 per cent of the internal roads in Ode-Itsekiri and we look forward to completion of the entire project at the end of 2021,” Helby said