Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, has announced plans to link Okrika and Port Harcourt in Rivers State with a road and three bridges.
To this end, the NDDC boss says work will soon commence at the 3.65-kilometre Okrika-Borokiri Road with three bridges connecting Kolabi, Abotoru and Okpoka creeks to Port Harcourt.
Speaking while on a courtesy visit to the Amanyanabo of Okochiri, King Ateke Michael Tom, in Okochiri, Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State, Ogbuku said that the Commission would revive the project because it would provide a lot of benefits to the people and connect several communities to the Rivers State capital.
He said that when completed, the road would reduce traffic congestion on the refinery road as well as reduce travel time from Okrika to Port Harcourt.
“It is one projects that can take traffic off Aba Road and East West Road. You will find people living in Okrika, Akpajo, Eleme commuting to Port Harcourt through the road.”
“We are here in Okrika and Okochiri on project inspection. We have inspected about two major projects. These projects, from our findings, are all stalled for many reasons. We felt the need to find out why the projects are stalled and the need for us to re-activate them.
“We assure you that work will soon resume on these projects. For example, the bridge that links Port Harcourt to Okrika mainland, is a very laudable project which is going to ease the traffic on the East-West Road; it is an alternate route to Okrika.
“For us to succeed, we believe that we need the cooperation of everybody. We need the cooperation of the traditional institutions, the state governments and the youths. We are trying to engage the youths.
“We believe it is time to do things differently. In doing things differently, we must be proactive. I assure you, our achievements are already being felt and we are ready to do more and better than what we are doing already.”
Responding, King Ateke Tom urged the NDDC to expedite action on some stalled projects in his kingdom, stating that on completion the projects would bring more economic and human capital development to the people of Okrika.
The projects, he said, included the Okrika-Borokiri Road and bridges; the Okuru to Ogba Road and bridge, as well as the reclamation of Okhai-Ama to Okochiri Mangrove.
The Okochiri Monarch also requested the NDDC to partner with his Kingdom in promoting the Okochiri International Beach Festival and Carnival, which, according to him, “promote peace amongst our people.”
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