The Delta State Commissioner for Works (Highways and Urban Roads), Mr Reuben Izeze, has said the administration of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori would deliver lasting legacy projects in the State.
Izeze said this on Wednesday while inspecting some ongoing Road projects in Effurun and Warri areas of the state.
The Commissioner, who stated that road infrastructural development remained a priority of the present administration in the state, said government would ensure that contractors would deliver quality projects.
The Tide’s source reports that the commissioner inspected the reconstruction of Uti Road, Effurun and Edo Guest House Road, Ekpan, both in Uvwie Local Government Area of the State.
Izeze also inspected Upper and Lower Erejuwa Road in Warri South Local Government Area of the state.
On the Uti Road, Izeze said the road had failed over time because there was no stone base and side drains on the road and told the contractor to scarify the entire road to introduce stone base before wearing and binder course.
He commended the contractor, Messrs Roadwell Limited, for introducing boulders on some sections of the road even when they were not provided for in the Bill of Quantities (BOQ).
The Commissioner said the road, which was awarded in 2018, would be reviewed to enable the contractor complete the job on time.
“This road project was awarded in 2018, and I have lived in Effurun in the last 30 years. And this Uti Road has never worked and the reason is simple, no drains and no stone base on the road.

“Governor Oborevwori is very concerned on delivering lasting legacies for the people of the State and you are all aware that he is the first governor to bring Julius Berger to Delta.

“By the grace of God, he has made me team lead and I have a very powerful and reliable team of engineers in the ministry and by the grace of God nobody will shortchange Delta under our watch.

“We will have value for our money and we will never deliver projects that are substandard.

“We have seen the project and will report back to the Governor on the need to review the project because we can’t build roads without a drainage to a discharge channel”, he said.

On the Edo Guest House Road, the Commissioner appealed to residents of the area to bear with the government, adding that the contractor would finish the project in no distant time.

At the Upper and Lower Erejuwa Road, Izeze directed the ministry’s engineers to redesign the culvert on the road.

On his part, the Director, Urban Roads, Mr Solomon Akpotowho, said the Uti Road construction entailed expansion of the 2.7-kilometre road from DSC Express road to PTI Road by 3.8 metres.

He said the Upper and Lower Erejuwa Road was being expanded from 7.1 metres to 12.1 metres, adding that the project was expected to be completed in February 2014 as part of activities marking the governor’s one year in office.

Meanwhile, some residents of the area who spoke to the source, had earlier appealed to the State Government to urgently fix the road, saying it has brought untold hardship to them especially during the rainy season.

They said the poor state of the road had not only affected their source of livelihood, which is trading, but had also affected their wellbeing.

The Commissioner, accompanied by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mr Fred Edafioghor, had earlier inspected the DSC roundabout, venue for the ground-breaking for the recently awarded flyovers and road expansion in the twin cities of Effurun and Warri.
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