Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), has moved to inspect completed and ongoing projects within their area of jurisdiction.
This, according to the body; it is part of their renewed resolve to focus on sustainable and regional projects in the Niger Delta region and Abia state, inclusive.
The NDDC Executive Director Projects, Mr. Charles Ogunmola, who revealed this during the inspection of a 9-kilometre Obehie/Oke-Ikpe Road in Ukwa West Local Government Area in Abia State, stated that the Commission was putting in the of its kind to ensure that all its projects across the Niger Delta region comes to completion.
He expressed satisfaction towards the youths of Ukwa West for being very peaceful, accommodating and providing a conducive environment for the contractor to perform credibly well, hence, delivering on quality; adding that the road has brought light and life back to the communities, as socio-economic activities have been restored, even as the contractor is still putting finishing touches in some sections.
“We are here to assess the work done so far and to ensure its speedy completion because of the impact the road will have on the people of Niger Delta”, Ogunmola stated.
Ogunmola, who in company of other NDDC Directors during the inspection tour, announced that many more communities within the area would also partake of the project, linking Abia and Akwa Ibom State.
Moreso, the Director, NDDC Abia State office, Mr. Goddy Nosiri, hinted on the deplorable position of that road for ages, which led to negative effects on the socio-economic activities of the area and loss of several man-hours.
He further stated that the road was already having a major impact on the lives of the people, especially with the Street Lights on the road.
“The roads provide some safe and preferable shortcuts for our brothers and sisters in Imo, Ebonyi, Enugu, Cross River and Akwa Ibom states to Rivers and Bayelsa states”, he stated.
Responding, the Chief Executive of the company handling the project, Dr. Matt Offeh, said that the road was very important for the people of Abia, Rivers and Akwa Ibom states.
“The NDDC has done so much for the people of the region but the projects are underreported by the media. There is no state in the region without at least 500 – 1,000 projects executed by NDDC. I commend the Executive Director of Projects for coming to inspect this project and I encourage routine inspection to ensure quality job delivery in record time“, he said.
In the same vein, the NDDC Executive Director, after a thorough inspection on the dilapidated section of the Port Harcourt-Aba Expressway at Obehie; assured that the Commission would liaise with the Federal Ministry of Works to intervene urgently inorder to put the road to motorable height.
Also, Ogunmola, inspected the132KVA Line 2/30 Power Transmission Substation in Ukwa West LGA, which had been lying fallow for many years.
He said that efforts would be put in place to revitalise the project, while noting that the project, which was at 50 per cent completion level before the contractor stopped work and the installed equipment were vandalized, and was expected to power Ukwa West, Ukwa East and Ugwunagbo local government areas of Abia State.
