Okowa Scraps Predecessors Road Projects

Governor Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa of Delta State has abandoned the Trans Warri-Ode-Itsekiri road project which was awarded by the former governor of the state, Chief James Onanefe Ibori and continued by the immediate past governor, Dr Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan.

The road which was awarded to Setraco Nigeria Limited in 2006, at the sum of N40 billion connects several communities in Warri South and other local government areas has 19 bridges with 10 of them completed before the present administration suspended work on it.

This was stated Wednesday during POST EXCO briefing by the Commissioner for Information, Patrick Ukah and his counterpart in Works, Chief James Augoye, at the Press Centre of the Old Government House, Asaba.

According to the Works Commissioner who gave details on the road project disclosed that, “the 12.8 km road was review twice and N16 billion has been paid before work was suspended. Okowa can’t continue with that job”, he insisted.

Augoye while responding to the allegation that the road has no work plan said, “it has a work plan which was approved by the ministry. The ministry has also streamlined bad spots on the road to avoid leakages”.

He revealed that SEC rather approved work for realignment to the tune of N7.6 billion to enable work on its adjourning communities, stressing that there would be further review.

The Commissioner noted that due to the dwindling allocation, the state government wouldn’t be able to continue with the road project.

Meanwhile, the state government has sacked the regent of Okpolo Enuhe kingdom, Isoko South local government council over what it termed as distortion in the selection process.

The Commissioner for Information, Mr Ukah, said it was as a result of the wrong person taking over the regentship, “it is a distortion in the selection process, the person who took over is not the most senior person”, allaying fears of possible litigations, “as I speak with you now, the case has been decided in the court because they went to court before”.

The regent was withdrawn from Chief Ikpahwo Uroroke while Chief Ayeghenese Otidi was appointed as the regent elect of the kingdom.

The state government also repudiated the contracted for the construction of 132 KV DC Delta State Grid Transmission Line from Affiesere, Ughelli North to Ozoro, Isoko North councils of the state.

On the flood which ravaged some parts of Delta including the state capital while government agencies lost vital documents, Ukah disclosed that the Commissioner for Bureau for Special Duties is taking stock of the level of devastation which the state and federal governments would tackle.

He blamed the destruction caused by the torrential rain on Town Planners who approved structures on waterways, “it is regrettable that DBS is on that location. It is on the lowest point of the city, the transmission has been affected”, he lamented.