Why we suspended work on 7km community road – Delta Government

Paul Osuyi, Asaba

DELTA State Government on Monday assured that it will not abandon road projects in any part of the state, saying that work had slowed down in most sites due to the rainy season.

Commissioner for Works, James Augoye who gave the assurance in Asaba, said contractors will mobilise back to site immediately after the rains.

Augoye spoke on the heels of a protest by the people of Asaba-Ase community in Ndokwa East Local Government Area of the state over what they described as abandonment of the seven kilometers Abari/Asaba-Ase road project.

The placard-carrying protesters had urged Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to order the contractor back to site, alleging that the job was abandoned over one year ago.

President-General of the community, Nosike Godfrey Anabogu who led the protest, said the people of the community have been suffering because of the bad road occasioned by the abandoned job.

Anabogu alleged that the contractor had already damaged the existing drains and internal roads before leaving site.

But the commissioner insisted that the road project was not abandoned, pointing out that there was an existing agreement between government and the contractor to commence the construction of culverts on strategic sections of the road.

“It is not true that the contractor demobilised from site. The water level in that area is very high which will hinder construction work on the road. The contractor is on-site doing concrete works. The culverts are being constructed on strategic sections. We are aware of what is going on. We are in agreement with the contractor that what should be going on is concrete pavement to get the earthwork correctly so that the road, when completed, will be for all seasons,” Augoye said.

He said most road projects in the state were suffering as a result of the rains, assuring that there will be massive construction immediately the rains cease.

Augoye also said the state government will continue to intervene on failed federal roads across the state, lamenting however that there was an existing contract by the Federal Government for the Agbor-Eku road which has been abandoned due to lack of funds.