Residents of D/Line Diobu in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area of Rivers State, have commended the Governor of Rivers State, Rt Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi over the on-going reconstruction of all roads with drainages in the area.
City dwellers in a random interview with The Tide correspondent expressed satisfaction with the magnitude of the projects, and opined that it would give the area a face-lift and solve the perennial problem of flooding after rains.
A respondent, Pastor Uche Osisike said: “Previously, when it rains, the whole area got flooded, houses sub-merged and properties damaged, but with the drainages being constructed, the flooding would be checked”, adding that it will also give a face-lift to the area.
Pastor Osisike said he was impressed with the projects, and described the rehabilitation work as a welcome development.
Another contributor, a teacher with Niger Grammar School, D/Line, Port Harcourt, Mr Agidi Talbot said, “The job is okay, I appreciate the government for the construction of the roads with drainages but my fear is if it will be completed according to specifications for the convenience of the people because of the rains”.
He lauded the foresight of Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi which he said will greatly benefit the people of the area and give them a sense of belonging.
A petty trader, Mama Nwayinma, also expressed appreciation  to the governor for the road projects, saying that if completed, residents would no longer experience floods after the rains.  She said the people now move freely around their residences even after it rains, noting that “the water passes through the drainages and the streets dry up afterwards.
“Everybody appreciates it as it will also make the streets look neat unlike before, when the entire streets were littered with dirt’s”, she noted.
She thanked Governor Amaechi for the rehabilitating effort, and wished that his administration is given the chance to religiously complete all ongoing projects.
Another resident, Mr Oghu Matthew Saturday said, “The project will help ensure free flow of water after rains unlike before when most drainages were blocked and it was a serious problem after the rains”.
He, however, appealed to the government to ensure that a good job is executed for the benefit of Rivers people and those living or doing business in D/Line in particular.
In his remarks, Mr Daddy Joseph Soibitebibo of 38 Igboukwu Street, said the project was strategic as there will be no floods after the rains in the area.
Mr Soibitebibo noted that with the road rehabilitation project, flooding would be a thing of the past in D/Line, and gave kudos to the government under the leadership of Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaech
I, but appealed for more projects in the area.
“As an environmentalist, the project is commendable but let government also try and plant flowers to beautify the area and also ensure street lights”, he said.
Site Engineer of Lubrik Construction Company, handlers of the projects could not be reached to speak on delivery schedule as our correspondent who was directed to the Head Office of the company at 756 Ordinance Road, opposite Nigerian Engineering Works (NEW), Trans-Amadi Layout, Port Harcourt visited there, but without success.
However, the Commissioner for Works, Hon Victor Giadom has said that the project would be completed within 18 months.
He said that the Amaechi administration was determined to provide Rivers people with quality and durable road infrastructure  and expressed satisfaction with the progress of work so far done.