27th April, 2012
The much talked about East-West Road which contract was awarded in 2006 under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Works will be completed by the year 2014.
Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe who gave the assurance at the on-going 2nd South-South Economic Summit holding in Asaba, Delta State, Nigeria, explained that the delay in the project execution was because the contract was awarded in 2006 without a design under the Ministry of Works, adding however that his Ministry took over the job in 2009 to ensure speedy completion.
Orubebe described the insecurity in the country and the Niger Delta in particular, such as kidnapping and armed robbery, as reactions to the perceived neglect of the area, adding that to solve such crises there was need to go to the root of the problems.
He said if the causes of the crises were neglected, whatever solution being proffered would be mere cosmetic measures, adding that the problems were still present hence the existence of agencies like the NDDC.
He also advocated the need to review the nation’s laws to create the capacity for oil companies in the region to be able to address some communal challenges in their areas of operation.
Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Christian Ogbo disclosed that the agency awarded about 5,000 contracts in the past without taking measures to ensure their completion.
Ogbo said in 2012, the agency would want to discourage the award of new contracts and provide more than 80% of its funds for the completion of the on-going projects.
—Jethro Ibileke, Asaba