East-West road is for many a commercial connector that establishes the commerce with in southern Nigeria.
Experts say it’s the nerve for trade and driving economies of scale for states it connects.
Past administration’s though mindfull of this potential have given lip service to the reconstruction and completion of the road, some scholars even believe that the road serves as a conduct pipe through which past government siphone the countries common wealth by allocation several billions of Naira over the years while the road a near 19km has not been completed in the past 50 years; That may soon change if the committement of the present administration is anything to go by.
In line with its determination the president Mohammadu Buhari administration has ordered the immediate release of N19.67 Billion to fast track the completion of section I-IV of East-West Road project by 2021.
Godswill Akpabio, Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, made the disclosure when he met with contractors handling different sections of the road projects, in Abuja.
According to the Minister, the road project which was conceived in 2006 during former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, was supposed to be completed in 2010 but was delayed largely due to lack of funds.
He said the project was transferred to the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs with the mandate of fast-tracking its completion in April 2009 but was also stalled due to inflexible terms prescribed by financial institutions.
The complains and excuses are persistent with experts saying institutions financial or otherwise should see the vision and goal of achieving the completion of the project as a priority with no bias,; That also failed.
“The project, which starts from the Delta Steel Company Roundabout in Delta State, transverses through Kaiama in Bayelsa State, goes through Ahoada in Port Harcourt in Rivers State, down to Eket and from Eket to Oron in Akwa-Ibom State, is to complete the Section I-IV being part of the two sections that had previously been completed. Section–V, which covers 23km from Oron to Calabar, is still under process.
“Considering the disposition of the region to the stability of Nigeria’s economy, the project will not only redress infrastructural deficit in the region, but its completion would also assist the oil industry in terms of moving goods that will facilitate oil production, movement within the area, restiveness and boast the economic life of the people and the Nation at large,” Akpabio said.
The Minister added that the present administration has undertaken more infrastructural development projects than any other government and the East-West road would be one of the legacy projects of Buhari-led administration when completed.
With the latest injection of the said amount it is hoped that excuses of institutional mis- cooperation and lack of funds will not be refered to again as reason for it’s failure.
(C) Control TV 2020.
