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BAYELSA GOVERNMENT APPROVES N3B FOR COMPLETION OF OGBIA-NEMBE ROAD ****** PROJECT TO REDUCE SEA PIRACY WHEN COMPLETED
Jesse Ese, Yenagoa
The Government of Bayelsa State has approved the sum of N3bn as intervention for the completion of the Ogbia/Nembe Road.
The State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson, during his Thank You tour to Nembe local government area of the state recently, assured the people that the road will be completed by 2015, noting his economic relevance to the growth of the State.
Briefing the newsmen at the end of the 30th Executive Council meeting on Thursday, the State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Deacon Markson Fefegha, flanked by his works counterpart, Mr. Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo and the Special Adviser to the governor on Political Matters, Chief Fred Agbedi, said the construction of the road would reduce sea piracy on the waterways as well as boost commerce in the area.
Deacon Markson also said that the decision to seek for the intervention fund was in line with the promise made by the Governor during his Thank You tour to the area.
The Bayelsa State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Mr. Ewhrudjakpo, added that the road was jointly awarded by the Niger Delta Development Commission, (NDDC) and Shell Petroleum Development Company in 2004 to SETRACO Plc. He also said that the Government would hold discussions with the two organizations to ensure that the contractor is mobilized back to site.
He noted that the present administration’s plan of constructing a road from Nembe to Brass would not be achieved without the completion of Ogbia/Nembe road.
“Ordinarily, we wouldn’t have been bothering ourselves with Ogbia-Nembe road but, we have to do it for three reasons; the Ogbia-Nembe road, if not completed, our dream of hitting the Atlantic through the Eastern flank, which the Governor promised, and to connect Brass will not be achieved because there is no reason constructing a road between Nembe and Brass when you don’t have a road between Ogbia and Nembe. It will be foolhardy.”
“Secondly, that road has become a necessity because of the need to reduce piracy and open up that area for development. Quite a good number of communities are on that alignment, and not only that; we also feel bad about the delay that road has suffered. That road was awarded in 2003/2004 and there has been variation upon variation and so we are worried.”
“We want to use this opportunity to reassure property owners around that area that has been marked for the construction of flyover in Etegwe that in the next one or two weeks, we will start payment of compensation and we will pay it in phases.”
“We, therefore, call for understanding from the affected property owners, so that they don’t feel as if government is not living up to its obligations. We will definitely complete the payment but you know the figure for the compensation is about N1.2 billion and you know what that means, especially since it was not planned or budgeted for.”
“We have to handle it in such a way that we don’t distort the budget and also breach the appropriation laws.”
Also, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Political Matters, Chief Fred Agbedi, said the Council acknowledged the warm reception that was accorded the Governor and his entourage during the Thank You tour of the Eastern Senatorial district, comprising Brass, Nembe and Ogbia Local Government Areas of the State, adding that the tour was broken into phases to enable the governor attend to other pressing matters.
