By Francis Sadhere, Warri
Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori has proposed the sum of N50 billion in the state’s 2025 budget estimates to enhance road infrastructure in the 25 Local Government Areas of the state.
The State Commissioner for Works (Rural and Riverine Roads), Mr Charles Aniagwu, disclosed this during a budget defence meeting with the Assembly Committee on Works and Special Projects on Wednesday in Asaba.
Aniagwu said the provision was a deliberate effort by the Governor to spread projects evenly across the 25 local government areas of the state.
He said: ”It is worthy of note to mention that the ministry in the exercise of the ‘MORE Agenda’ made deliberate effort to spread projects across the 25 LGAs to the tune of N50 billion in the 2025 budget estimates.”
He said his ministry was created from the main Works ministry and charged with the responsibility of formulating policies within the corridor of civil engineering works in the rural and riverine communities and other areas as designated in the state.
Aniagwu, who also stood in for the Commissioner for Works (Highways and Urban Roads), Mr Reuben Izeze, presently on vacation, said that his ministry would focus on the completion of ongoing projects and major projects that would impact on the various communities.
He also restated the determination of Gov. Sheriff Oborevwori to build rural roads that would help to improve the living standard of the people.
He recalled that the governor promised during the campaign to complete all the projects he inherited and also initiate new ones.
”The governor is interested in building all the rural roads for our people who live in rural communities. He’s also desirous of continuing with the ongoing projects as well as initiate new ones,” he said.
The commissioner also said that the State Government was reviewing the cost of some projects in order to meet with the present economic reality occasioned by increased prices of materials.
”One novel thing the governor has done is that almost 100 per cent of the projects we are awarding now, he has been able to transparently provide for the mobilisations of the contractors.
”The reason we are doing this is that we don’t want any contractor to tell us that he is seeking for funds.
”This will help us to avoid the incidence of incessant review of contracts on account of fluctuations of the currency,” he also said.
Aniagwu, however, commended the committee members for their support, saying; “They have even taken out time to go for oversight function just for them to see what we are doing.
”In 2025, we will interface with the committee more to enable us to deliver more dividend of democracy to our people,” he further said.
Responding, the Chairman of the Committee, Mr Collins Egbetamah, commended the ministry and promised to look into their request.
The Direct Labour Agency also appeared before the committee for its budget defence.
