Mkpoikana Udoma
12 July 2017, Sweetcrude, Port Harcourt – The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, says the Commission and its supervising Ministry, the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, need over N70 billion to complete the construction of the East-West Road which straddles the six South-South States.
Speaking while receiving the Minister at the NDDC headquarters in Port-Harcourt, the Managing Director of NDDC, Mr. Nsima Ekere, lamented that the Eleme-Refinery junction section of the East West road was in a very terrible state.
The NDDC Chief Executive Officer further stated that the construction of the remaining sections of the East-West road would be handled by many contractors.
He said the NDDC will partner with the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and private sector investors on the construction of the road.
He said: “Over N70 billion is needed to complete the road. So the strategy will be to harness private sector collaboration to complete the road. The portions that have totally collapsed will be addressed immediately.
“The Eleme portion of that road is so bad that a ten-minute journey on that axis now takes three hours. That section of the road has failed and we will get contractors to the site immediately.
“Our strategy involves multiple contractors. The road, which is a strategic link to the oil and gas industry in Nigeria, connects Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states.”
According to Ekere, the commission was embarking on a centralised e-project management scheme which would reduce waste and costs on project management.
In his remarks, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Pastor Usani, commended the NDDC Board and Management for its efforts towards reforming the Commission’s processes.
Pastor Usani said that the audit that would be carried out in the NDDC was a Presidential directive which must be complied with as soon as possible.