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East-West Road Completion To Cost N70bn -Reps
Head, Financial Inclusion, CBN, Mrs Akin-Fadeyi Temitope, fielding questions from journalists at the end of the workshop on Financial Inclusion organised by CBN in Port Harcourt recently. Photo: Chris Monyanaga
The East-West Road, a major link road in the Niger Delta region, will cost the Federal Government another estimated N70billion to be completed, the House of Representatives Committee on Niger Delta Affairs said yesterday.
The Chairman of the committee, Warman Ogoriba, who gave the figure in Abuja, explained that after a series of meetings with government officials and the contractors handling the project, it was clear that poor funding had remained the key factor delaying the completion of the strategic road.
The project is divided into five sections, beginning from Warri in Delta State, and cutting through Rivers, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom and ending in Cross River State.
However, work is currently progressing on only sections I-IV of the 338-kilometre road, with a 79.42ý per cent completion rate.
Annual funding of the project is said to be short by N36.6bn, leaving contractors grumbling owing to unpaid certificates.
But Ogoriba noted that despite the funding challenges, the committee was optimistic that the road could be delivered by December 2015.
Ogoriba, who is from Bayelsa State, said, “We will again look at the reports submitted by the contractors, such as Setraco, RCC to see what updates they have.
“But for the budget, I think what we need to finish the East-West Road in 2015 is about N60billion to N70billion. And it depends on how much we get from the budgetary allocation for 2015 as well as SURE-P intervention. That is when we will know if the road will be delivered by then, but besides that, work has gone very far and we believe it will continue like that till the end.”
Only in September, the Minister of Niger Delta Ministry, Steve Oru, had disclosed that N268.4billion had been paid to contractors working on the road, out of a total contact sum of N349.8billion.
Government has been inconsistent on the completion date of the road. The ministry initially assured the stakeholders that the road would be ready by December this year.
But, during a meeting with the House committee in September, Oru made a U-turn, saying that at best, portions of sections I-IV would be ready before Christmas, and not the entire road.
He declined to make a commitment to a new completion date.
Oru told the committee, “Initially, we looked at December, but the contractors have told me the challenges they are facing.
“Work is rapidly in progress, but December will not be possible.
“What will is that a good section of the road will be made useable ý before the Christmas period.”
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The Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has directed his lawyers to withdraw all ongoing defamation lawsuits against several individuals, saying he was moved by counsel during a New Year Mass.
Speaking at the Sacred Heart Parish in Uyo, yesterday, Akpabio said he had filed nearly nine lawsuits against individuals he accused of defaming him.
He said, “I had almost nine cases in court against some individuals who defamed me, who lied against me, who slandered my name.
“But I listened to the priest and suddenly realised he was talking to me, so I hereby direct my solicitor to withdraw all lawsuits against them.”
In 2025, Akpabio had filed several high-profile defamation lawsuits, including one against colleague Senator Natasha Akpoti?Uduaghan.
In late 2025, Akpabio filed a N200 billion defamation lawsuit against her over allegations of sexual harassment, which he denied and urged her to substantiate in court.
Earlier in the year, Akpabio’s wife also filed defamation suits against Akpoti?Uduaghan over claims she said had harmed her family’s reputation.
Relations between the two lawmakers soured after Akpoti?Uduaghan accused Akpabio of influencing her suspension from the Senate in March 2025, following her public allegations of misconduct.
The Senator had previously challenged actions taken against her in court, including a N100 billion defamation suit she filed against Akpabio and other defendants over alleged remarks that she said damaged her reputation.
With yesterday’s announcement, Akpabio has formally ended all pending legal disputes arising from defamation claims, signalling closure to the publicised litigations as the year begins.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has declared that the best form of gratitude Rivers people owe President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for protecting the interest of the State is to galvanize massive support for the President in 2027.
Fubara disclosed this last Monday during the commissioning of Permanent Secretaries Quarters built by his administration at Elimgbu in Obio Akpor Local Government Area of the State.
He said that the State has what it takes to deliver the President during the 2027 general elections.
“We’ve taken a decision,our decision is for the good of Rivers State, our decision is to say thank you for the protection we have from Mr President, our decision is to prove that we have what it takes to deliver Mr President.”
Fubara expressed delight over the completion of the project, stating that the initiative was to provide accommodation, a basic need of life for public servants in the state to improve their productivity.
He explained that lack of effective social welfare was at the root of some incriminating actions that undermine the purpose of governance, noting that the commissioning of the newly built Permanent Secretaries Quarters marks a significant milestone in civil service welfare and institutional development.
“Insecurity begins when individuals are uncertain of what the next hour holds. This situation is especially challenging for family men and women, affecting confidence and decision-making,” he observed.
Fubara emphasized the need for proper maintenance of the facility and urged the beneficiaries to protect the project like a personal property, while directing the State Head of Service to appoint a facility manager to ensure long-term maintenance.
In her remarks, the Special Guest of Honour and Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack, who unveiled the project, expressed appreciation to the governor and Rivers State for inviting her to commission the project.
She commended Fubara for prioritizing the welfare of Permanent Secretaries who are senior public servants and accounting officers, noting that the project reflects purposeful and visionary leadership, and urged other states to borrow a cue from the Rivers State Governor.
Walson-Jack described the initiative as a strategic investment in staff welfare and institutional continuity which she noted is in line with Renewed Hope Initiative on provision of mass housing and social stability.
“The commissioning of these houses reflect a deliberate commitment to the dignity, welfare, and productivity of senior public servants responsible for policy coordination and service delivery,” she said.
In his goodwill message, the National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ajibode Bashiru, who led a high powered delegation on a visit to the governor, congratulated Rivers people for aligning with the Pan Nigerian political party, assuring that the interest of Rivers State will be duly protected in the APC.
He described President Bola Tinubu as a detribalised Nigerian who anchors his leadership on equity, fairness and justice, adding that the APC will provide a level playing ground for all.
The APC chief scribe also commended Fubara for providing good accommodation for public servants, stating that it will address issues of sabotage, compromise and disloyalty on the part of public servants.
Giving the project description, Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Works, Dr. Austin Ezekiel-Hart, said the estate comprises 29 units, including nine standalone duplexes and 20 terrace buildings.
Facilities feature a water treatment plant, synchronized power generators, CCTV and alarm systems, a gym, recreational areas, and green spaces—designed to enhance comfort, performance, and productivity.
Earlier, the Head of the Rivers State Civil Service, Dr Mrs Inyingi Brown, had thanked the governor for his visionary initiative and unwavering commitment to the welfare of Rivers State Civil Servants, and restated the commitment of the State civil servants to the success of Fubara’s administration.
By: Taneh Beemene