By Christopher Odamah, Asaba

The House Committee on Works of the Delta State House of Assembly today paid a familiarization visit to the Ministry of Works/ Honourable Commissioner for Works, Delta State Government Chief James Augoye at the Ministry of Works Secretariat in Asaba.

The House Committee Chairman on Works, Hon. Chief Evance Ochuko Ivwurie addressing Hon. Commissioner for Works and staff of the Ministry

Speaking while welcoming the House Committee Chairman and members ably led by Hon. (Chief) Evance Ochuko Ivwurie, the Honourable Commissioner for Works, Chief James Augoye said on behalf of the members and staff of the Ministry of Works, “I want to sincerely welcome you to the Ministry of Works”.

He added that “I feel highly honoured to have these calibre of Lawmakers that constituted the Works Committee, while assuring them of an open door policy to ensure the purpose of achieving formidable engineering to render quality service to Deltans is attained.”

The Chairman of the House Committee on Works Hon. (Chief) Evance Ochuko Ivwurie was accompanied by the following members of the Committee:
1. Hon. (Olorogun) Dennis Omovie
2. Hon. Barrister Daniel Mayuku
3. Hon. Kennedy Daubry
4. Hon. Anthony Elekeokwuri
5. Hon (Engr.) Emeka Nwobi.

Responding, Hon. Evance Ivwurie, said the purpose of the visit is to formally introduce and familiarize members of the Committee to the Ministry of Works, saying we are over-sighting committee of this Ministry. There is every need for us to work together in harmony because quality service delivery to Deltans is our priority.

Hon. Ivwurie said that members of this Committee were carefully selected by the Rt. Hon. Speaker Chief Sheriff Oborevwori based on proven track records and experiences of the members and we hope to use this wealth of experiences of the legislative business to take our dear state to an enviable height as envisaged by His Excellency Senator Dr. Arthur Ifeanyichukwu Okowa, Governor of Delta State.

In the words of Chairman Ivwurie, the work committee jurisdiction are embedded in the 2012 Rules of the Delta State House of Assembly which are:

1. Annual budget estimate;
2. Matter related to construction or maintenance of state roads and bridges;
3. Civil engineering works;
4. Mechanical works;
5. Relations to public works.

According to Hon. Ivwurie, “This Committee is blessed with two Engineers; Hon. (Engr.) Kenneth Oboro Preyor who is the Vice Chairman of this committee and he is an Engineer of repute, Hon. (Engr.) Emeka Emmanuel Nwaobi a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers as well as other ranking, intelligent and experienced lawmakers”.

“I must place on record that none of the roads constructed and commissioned by His Excellency Senator Dr. Arthur Ifeanyichukwu Okowa and the Delta State Government under his leader has failed or broken down- none. We are very much aware of the strategy of mischief makers who photoshop photographs of bad roads in other States and name them as roads commissioned by the State Government.”

House Committee Chairman and members in a group photograph with Hon. Commissioner and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Works 

Hon. Ivwurie stressed that we are going to focus extensively on civil works because the State Government has invested very heavily on road and bridge infrastructure. The State Government has spent billions of Naira on road and bridge construction projects, promising that the committee will partner and work in harmony with the ministry. He added that, “we are going to channel our energy into inspection and project monitoring and I can assure you that the era of shoddy and substandard roads are over as this Committee is committed to combining hard work with project inspection/ monitoring to ensure the delivery of quality roads”

The House Committee Chairman on Works, Hon. Chief Evance Ochuko Ivwurie used the medium to thank His Excellency, Senator Dr. Arthur Ifeanyichukwu Okowa, Governor of Delta State for investing in the critical infrastructure of road networks and bridges across the State and for appointing one of the humblest, experienced and gentle Deltan to lead the affairs of the Ministry of Works in the person of Chief James Augoye who is committed to taking the Ministry to the next level.