The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, and his Niger Delta counterpart, Usani Uguru Usani, said about N100 billion is required to complete the East-West road linking the States of Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers of the South-south geo-political zone.
Speaking shortly after the inspection tour, Amaechi revealed that lack of funds caused the delay in delivering the project.He said contractors need funds to continue and be permanently on site to execute the job and complete it.
Speaking further, he revealed that (Setraco Contractors) need N57 billion. While RCC said he needs N43 billion and that’s about N100 billion to complete the road and that’s apart from Oron which is being negotiated.”Amaechi, frowned at the security challenges threatening project execution in the region, saying, “I am not too happy with the militancy. You will see every contractor with soldiers and police but that is not the right thing to do.
Responding on the importance of the road, Amaechi said, “Of course you know the economy of the South-south is driven by the road. As you were coming, you saw movement of goods and persons.
In the same vein, Usani added that, “We have actually done much to give it preference. For the areas that are not completed, we expect that when contractors return to site, they would work on the growing grasses along the road but for the sections that we have taken over, it is a matter of maintenance as our responsibility.”He said the cost of the project which spans from Warri to Calabar and the last section of the road is under negotiation as mandated by the FEC approval.
On the time frame to complete the project, Usani said: “As soon as people pay their taxes, stop militancy, bursting of pipelines and as soon as we get more revenue, the project would be completed. The FEC gives priority to this project and this is the reason this ministerial committee was established to come and do the assessment and report back. The government is willing to source for funds from whatever source to give attention to the project.”
