Shocking figures! How Delta spent N156 billion on contractors in 11 months

Delta State Commissioner for Works (Highways and Urban Roads), Mr. Reuben Izeze, on Tuesday presented a detailed “performance audit” to the House of Assembly Committee on Works and Special Projects as part of the ministry’s 2026 budget defence.

Speaking before the committee in Asaba, Izeze described the exercise as an “accountability platform” where the ministry reports its stewardship, justifies previous allocations, and outlines its plans for the coming year.

He noted that the ministry had maintained a transparent approach in managing the state’s growing infrastructure portfolio.

According to the commissioner, between May 29, 2023, and Oct. 30, 2025, the ministry supervised 351 projects across all 25 Local Government Areas. Out of these, 262 projects were inherited from previous administrations, while 89 were initiated under Governor Sheriff Oborevwori.

The projects cover 1,143.3 kilometres of roads and 639.02 square kilometres of drainage channels, forming a major part of the state’s infrastructure expansion and urban renewal efforts.

Izeze disclosed that 199 projects valued at N226.629 billion have been completed, while 152 projects estimated at N873.2 billion are ongoing. He added that between January and November, the ministry paid N156.76 billion to contractors for both completed and ongoing works.

Presenting the 2026 budget proposal, he announced a projected estimate of N690.2 billion, slightly higher than the previous year due to wage adjustments following the new minimum wage. However, he raised concerns over financial pressures, stating that unpaid certificates for ongoing and uncompleted projects had risen to N2.317 billion. He also revealed that several project votes had been “grossly overspent,” recommending that outstanding liabilities be settled before year-end.

The commissioner assured lawmakers that the proposed budget aligns with the state’s Medium-Term Development Plan (2024–2027) and accounts for global construction challenges, including inflation and weather-related delays.

Committee Chairman, Mr. Oboro Preyor, commended the ministry’s performance, describing it as central to the administration’s rising public confidence. He urged the commissioner to sustain the momentum and directed the ministry to submit a detailed inventory of all ongoing projects to support planned oversight visits in the first quarter of 2026.