Bayelsa govt. expends over N174b ongoing road projects
…As community calls for Gov. Diri’s re-election
Isaac Ombe, Yenagoa
The Bayelsa State Government is expending the sum of N174.56 billion on major ongoing road projects to open up the state to the sea to ensure the takeoff economic activities in the riverines areas of the state.
Elated community dwellers are also planning to vote massively for him for second tenure.
Already, the major roads are in their various stages of completion made up of several bridges.
Director General of New Media to the governor, Dr. Kola Oredipe, took journalists on a tour of the major road projects around the state, on Monday afternoon.
The roads included the 22.2km Yenagoa-Oporoma-Ukubie road which costs N31.4 billion, the 42km Sagbama-Ekeremor road, which costs N34.4 billion, the 21km Igbogene-AIT/Elebele Outer Ring Road, which to gulp N54.56 billion, and the clearing and construction of the Nembe-Brass road to cost N54 billion as its clearing has been completed and sand filling of the road would also commence immediately.
The road is expected to have 10 link bridges and its the first phase.
Further explaining the importance of the 22.2km Yenagoa-Oporoma -Ukubie road, Dr. Oredipe stressed that, “People here have been waiting for this road for more than 40years.”
Lamenting that for long people have been traveling by river, the completion of the road would boost the economic activities of the area.
“Oporoma, you know, is the headquarters of the Southern Ijaw Council area. The largest Council area of the state. For so long a time the Council headquarters is not connected by road.
“It is this government that is taking this road across the River Nun. “It is about 22.2km, we are taking it from Ikebiri community up to Aguobiri where we have a bridge standing
“People are happy that the road has finally got to the community
“The bridge was flagged off by the Vice President early this year and already mounting the pillars that will cross this Nun river
“And we are not waiting for the bridge to be completed before we open up the road section to Oporoma community . The road construction to Otuan and Inewari Communities have been approved to be given immediate attention.
“So, that by the time the bridge is completed the area would have been opened up.
Once this road crosses this river you can imagine the volume.of economic activities that will take place around the area
From Yenagoa to.opeproma you can now spend less than 25minutes as it was over two hours by river “, he added.
Other roads under construction and near completion included the
42km Sagbama-Ekeremor wirh five major bridges constructed on the road, with three by the Diri administration and two by the immediate past Seriake Dickson- led administration.
The 21km Igbogene-AIT/Elebele outer ring road expected to gulp N54.56 with work progressing towards its completion .
To open up the state to a major oil and gas zone,
the Clearing of the first phase of the Nembe-Brass road has been completed as sand filling of the road has also commenced immediately.
The road which has ten link 10 bridges Wil cost the state government N54 billion, being the first phase.
He further explained that the 10.2km dual carriageway Glory Drive road from the Ecumenical Centre at Igbogene to the Tombia-Amassoma road, which is first phase will be completed and commissioned by February2023 at the third anniversary of the Prosperity administration.
Some other infrastructure projects embarked upon by the administration include the 4.5km Igbedi road, the media complex, Elebele bridge, Imiringi bridge, Nembe Unity bridge, lecture halls and laboratories at the Bayelsa Medical University, which were all completed and inaugurated during the administration’s second anniversary in February this year.
According to Dr. Oredipe, all the road projects mentioned and more ,were awarded by the senator Douye Diri led prosperity Government to ensure that most parts of the state are opened to the hinter land which the people have been yearning for years.
The Senator Douye Diri -led prosperity government is committed to Completing all on-ongoing projects , even though he inherited some , like the Glory Drive road was abandoned for some time, he noted that this road has some economic value to the state and this informed the administration to take it up.
“This is the government that has the interest of the people at heart that is why he’s embarking on massive infrastructure development, because the economy of the state , the resources, of course are still at the ocean so we must hit the Atlantic , like the former governor would say “, he added.
Expressing the joy of having a road linking Ekeremor community, Obiriki Oyins, a native of Ekeremor community who described Governor Diri efforts as ‘commendable’ and saving the community from river transport, said that members of the community are planning to give their ballots to the governor for his second tenure.
“We are all planning that we will the governor all our ballots for his second tenure by God’s grace because he has reduced our sufferings,” Oyins said.
