Bayelsa partners Shell, NDDC on road construction

Bayelsa state Government is to partner with the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, and the Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC on the construction of Ogbia- Nembe road in state.

At a meeting by the three partners, Governor of the state, Hon. Seriake Dickson said the state government would set up an office in the state capital to collate and harmonize all development needs of communities in the state.

When established, he said the office would also serve as a one stop office to equally authenticate and harmonize all development efforts being undertaken by interventionist agencies, as well as check duplication of projects.

Governor Dickson explained that the meeting was convened for representatives of the companies involved in the execution of the Ogbia/Nembe road project to brief him on the position of the road to enable government intervene where necessary to ensure that the project is delivered on schedule.

He stressed that it was necessary to move on to the next phase of the road project, which he described as the most expensive and challenging in order to ensure completion of the project within the stipulated time frame.

While, pointing out that construction work was already ongoing on two senatorial roads, expressed concern over the delay of work on the Nembe-Brass road, stressing that, his administration was desirous of opening up the state to boost socio-economic activities. ”We have the objective of hitting the Atlantic Ocean on three main fronts.

The west through Ekeremor and Agge; that job is going on, the central through Yenagoa-Oporoma-Koluama-Ukubie, work is going on seriously as we speak but then our plans to get to the Atlantic in Brass cannot move further if we are not sure of a realistic time frame for the completion of the road already started from Ogbia to Nembe because the road we want to take is from Nembe to Brass.

But even if that road is started and finished, it will be of no effect unless we first ensure that we can get to Nembe and that is why that project is very important to us.

Speaking with correspondents shortly after the meeting, Secretary to the state government, Prof. Edmund Alison Oguru, said the issues responsible for the delay on the project were discussed as well as ways and means to address the challenges.

Also in his remarks, Chairman of the Directorate of Project Monitoring and Evaluation, Chief Walter Feghabo-Amain said the meeting deliberated on issues of compensation and local content employment.

Chief Feghabo-Amain who doubles as chairman of the Project Monitoring Committee of the Ogbia/Nembe road noted that, compensation for those whose farms were affected by the project and the issue of employment for communities situated along the road would be addressed.

Also in separate interviews, representatives of SPDC, Mr. Evans Krukrubo, NDDC, Mr. Edi Orubo and the Project Manager of SETRACO, Senaka Rupanett, stated that the partners involved in the execution of the road have expressed commitment to the completion of the project in 2015.

Mr. Krukrubo said the SPDC was funding the project by 70% while the commissioner on the board of the NDDC, Mr. Orubo observed that the meeting would go a long way in improving the performance level of the commission as outstanding payments to it would be sorted out in the next one week.

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