We Don’t Mind Borrowing To Ensure East-West Road Completion By April 2022 – Niger Delta Minister

…As Eleme, Ogoni Youths Threaten Showdown with FG Over Delay

By Matthew Ogune, Port Harcourt

Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs, Sen. Omotayo Alasoadura has disclosed that the federal government is ready to go into borrowing to ensure the completion of the East-West road by April 2022.

Despite that the minister made this promise on behalf of the federal government, youths from Eleme and Ogoni who confronted him during the inspection of section ii, iiia of the project on Thursday in Port Harcourt threatened to disrupt economic activities, block the bridge connecting the airport if no meaningful progress is observed within one month.

According to them the federal government is investing little on the Niger Delta region that is contributing alot to the national treasury and investing more on the northern region that is contributing less to the nation’s coffer.

They urged the minister to order the contractors in charge of the project to speedily commence payment of compensation to affected families for peace to reign.

While appealing for calm, Alasoadura disclosed that the ministry has released about N7billion to contractors to facilitate the project urging contractors to comply with directives of the government in order for the ministry to handover the project to the people of the region.

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His words: “This is the only pride we have, whatever we need to do, even if it is to borrow, we will, just do the physical work and leave the money aspect to us,” he charged contractors

Adding: “Do the work and ask us for money, just give us a schedule that will ensure that we deliver this road to the people of South-South, the oil producing area of the country where the golden eggs are laid.

“Between 1st of January and 1st of April is our target and that is what we must do, please achieve with us because we want to leave it as a legacy project of this administration that a project that was started fifteen years ago was completed during our tenure.”

According to him, the contract was awarded to Messrs. Reynolds Construction Company (RCC) Nigeria Ltd at the contract sum of N43,869,381,730.23 on December 1st, 2014 with a completion period of 24 months as additional works to the dualization of East-West road section III contract using direct procurement method but nothing was done before the present administration took over.

He explained that the objective of the contract was to ensure safe and efficient movement of traffic along the already dualised 15km stretch of the highway from Onne Port, Port Harcourt refinery, Eleme petrochemicals and other industries by widening the carriageway from four to six lanes, eliminating traffic bottlenecks and ensuring well drained and durable road.

Alasoadura regretted that the contractor could not commence work until early 2020 when the statutory mobilisation advance was fully paid, as well as expenses required for the execution of construction work of the magnitude.

Responding, Engr. Michel Issa from Setraco assured the minister that the project will be completed within the stipulated time if the companies are mobilised` on time with the required capital.