The chairman of Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P), Gen. Martin Luther Agwai (rtd) said the most dreaded part of the East-West Road, the Akpajo-Onne axis has been awarded with three lanes to be constructed.
Agwai dropped the hint in a press statement shortly after a two day inspection of the East West Road Project in Port Harcourt.
The Chairman SURE-P explained that the Akpajo-Onne Axis of the East- West Road was not on the original design of the contract since inception as that part was already dualized, but however, told journalists that the section of the road has been awarded with three lanes because of the daily congestion on the road.
He stated that the Federal Government is aware of the economic importance of the Road particularly the AkpajoOnne axis because its contributions to National growth cannot be over emphasized. Agwai maintained that the East-West Road project is a great assets to Nigeria in the area of access to oil and gas facilities, access to seaports at Onne and its connection to the various state capitals in the Niger Delta Region and there is need for the Federal Government to response to the agitations for equitable development in the south-south.
The SURE-P chairman promised the people of Niger Delta that all things being equal, the road will be completed and delivered before May, 29 2015.
He explained further that the delay in the construction of the East-West Road is not deliberate as the construction requirement is high and expensive due to the terrain and the soil texture of the Niger-Delta compared with other parts of the country and promised that the team will do its best. “We will render service with integrity”, he said.
Agwai stated that one of the key challenges on the East-West Road is the issue of compensations by communities and advised communities to collaborate with the contractors and federal government for the realization and the completion of the road in time. Other challenges include: the budgetary provision as budget provision is different from money provided, he said. He stated that the sudden fall in oil price has a serious implication on the entire budget of the country and that of SURE-P.
Agwai said since the inception of SURE-P N80 billions have been spent on the road from Warri to Oron in Akwa Ibom State, which is different from the N275 billion spent by the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs since 2006.
He pinpointed that the East-West Road have also been extended to Calabar by the Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, pointing out that there will be flag-off of train from Port Harcourt to Enugu.
Agwai lamented the lower development and the utilization of the SURE-P fund by states and local governments while assuring the people of Niger Delta that the 338 kilometers road will be completed on target, with 19 bridges between Warri and Port Harcourt with over 700 and 400 meters long with total employment of 3,500 jobs both skills and unskill. ####
Pius Dukor
