‘RSG Spends N100bn Annually’ On Roads, Basic Infrastructure

The Rivers State Government spends about N100 billion annually on roads and infrastructure.

Commissioner for Works, Hon Dakuku Peterside who disclosed this, Monday, at a press briefing in his office in Port Harcourt said the present administration in the state had awarded contracts for 560 kilometers of roads in the state , adding that so far, 30 road projects had been completed across the state.

Peterside said he called the conference to address issues of concern, especially flooding and drainage problems experienced in parts of Port Harcourt city.

He explained that a detailed study of the drainage problem in Port Harcourt was undertaken as a result of which three drainage problem areas were identified.

Any moment from now, we will award contracts for the major drainage problem areas. Some will take about one year and six months to construct, some one year, some six months. It is not expected that all our flooding challenges will be over by next year, we will still encounter some, we are going to take the critical areas first , he declared.

However, as an intervention measure, Peterside said an inter-ministerial committee has been raised to intervene in the drainage problem areas and flooding in Port Harcourt city.

On road construction, the commissioner noted that all major roads in Port Harcourt are being dualised, adding that substantial progress has been made on Rumuokwuta-Rumuola road and the road between Slaughter roundabout in Trans-Amadi to Rumuobialani area.

He also said that 100 percent drainage had been achieved on Old Aba Road, while tremendous progress is being achieved on Tam David West Road from NTA across the East West Road to the airport.

The first 900 meters have been completed, we are working on the remaining stretch of 13 kiliometer”.

The commissioner also revealed that the Eleme flyover which had been partially opened to traffic was constructed at a cost of N7billion, saying that one major challenge is the LNG bridge on Eastern Bye Pass which has been partially opened to traffic but would be fully opened in two weeks time.

Hon Peterside used the opportunity to dispel insinuations in some quarters that contractors handling the flyover at Agip junction were doing a substandard job, saying that’s not true as there is no trace of substandard job there.

He emphasised that no government in Rivers State had undertaken more road projects than the Amaechi administration and called for public understanding and support.

Governor Chibuike Amaechi