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We’re constructing legacy roads that ‘ll stand the test of time -Delta Govt

Published

18 hours ago

October 21, 2024

DAN DENT ASABA

SPONSORED BY: H&H

Delta State Government has reiterated it’s commitment to the construction of legacy road projects that would stand the test of time amidst rising cost of materials.

It disclosed that it has changed its design and supervision concepts to ensure long lasting roads across the State.

The State Commissioner for Works (Highways and Urban Roads) Comrade Reuben Izeze disclosed this at the 12th edition of “Journalists Hangout” at the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) Secretariat, on Sunday, in Asaba, the state capital.

He emphasized that the Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s administration detests cutting corners and vowed to ensure that Deltans get the best quality of work for their money.

Flanked by the State NUJ Chairman, Comrade Churchill Oyowe and former Vice President South-South, Comrade Edward Akpati Ogwude, the Commissioner said there are no “sacred cows” in the supervision of projects across the state.

According to him, “we have spent most of the last one year doing supervisory work and as a matter of policy I must visit every road to see things for myself before any certificate is issued.

“I don’t sign any payment certificate without going there to see things for myself and in the last one year we have changed the narrative in the area of supervision of projects.

“When I came I told all the contractors that the ‘era of oga say’ had ended and I told the engineers that no contractor is bigger than them.

“If you tell any contractor to do the proper thing and they refuse just let me know and we will handle it because I know the Governor will not support anyone to circumvent the Bills of Engineering Measurement and Evaluation (BEME) because he wants to please anybody.

“You cannot make your profit and still shortchange the people. The people should have roads that will last and stand the test of time.

“I have the philosophy of the Ogbemudia roads, which still stands till date despite that the man had died some years ago. That is the kind of legacy roads that Governor Sheriff Oborevwori wants to provide for Deltans.

“Legacy roads starts from the point of design and I will not allow anyone use Google map to design roads for me, you have to go to the site and show me your drains and where it is discharging to.

“Our supervision and design concept has changed. Before we bring any road to the State’s Tender Board, we must be sure that the road is designed to last minimum of 20 years.

“That is one thing we have been able to establish and the contractors know that it is no longer business as usual. You must do your work according to the BEME otherwise you must return right site.”

Comrade Izeze said Governor Oborevwori was seriously revamping infrastructure in Warri and environs and other parts of the state as he had promised in his inaugural speech.

“If you left Warri last week and by the time you return next week you see that there are changes because Julius Berger is working on the flyover bridges and road expansion projects in Warri and Effurun.

“We are also handling a number of inherited projects like the Kwale-Beneku bridge which is approaching completion. We have finished and inaugurated the Okpanam-Ibusa bypass.

“We also completed the Ohoror-Bomadi bridge and now the our sister department is handling the entire reconstruction of that stretch of road.

“Emevor-Orogun Road has also been completed and inaugurated through our sister department and we are looking at existing projects we inherited across the state to see how they can be completed for the use of the people.

“Orere Bridge in Delta Central was inherited and Governor Oborevwori is committed to funding it to completion and has also approved an upward review for the project.

“Trans-Warri – Ode-Itsekiri road is another inherited project that we have reviewed and they have told us it would be ready by May 29, 2025.

“The Governor has also put much pressure on the contractor handling the Egbo-Ideh Ayakoromo Bridge another massive project we inherited.

“Aside these inherited projects we also have some new ones that we are handling like the Okito and Sokoh Estate Road in Effurun.

“Governor Oborevwori is not ready to construct any road that will fail immediately. So the design of the road must be such that we will not have any reason to return there till the end of his administration.

“We have also done some works on PTI Road, Uti Road is also another road that we are working on and it may be ready in December, we have extracted a guarantee of 20 years based on the design of the road.

“Lower and Upper Erejuwa Roads in Warri have also been reconstructed and expanded to improve the aesthetics of the city.

“So far so good we have upped our game because the quality of work and supervision have approved and we are not going to rest on our oars to ensure that we give Deltans the best.”

On the state of Federal Roads in the state, the Commissioner said the state government would continue to intervene on federal roads as long as it bothers on the lives of Deltans especially when the roads are not encumbered on existing contracts by the Federal Government.

He explained that the State Government couldn’t intervene as it had wanted to on the Asaba-Onitsha highway because the road had been under contract all along.

In his remarks, Delta State Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Comrade Churchill Oyowe, thanked the Commissioner for coming to elucidate on the activities of the State Ministry of Works.

He stressed that the “Journalists Hangout” was designed as a platform for friendly discussions with stakeholders on their contributions to society.

News

ONDO GUBER: SANWO-OLU, S’WEST GOVS, APC LEADERS CHARGE MEMBERS ON AIYEDATIWA’S VICTORY

Published

9 mins ago

October 22, 2024

august24admin

ONDO GUBER: SANWO-OLU, S’WEST GOVS, APC LEADERS CHARGE MEMBERS ON AIYEDATIWA’S VICTORY

…We must get more than 85 percent of votes, Lagos Governor tells party faithful

AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&H

Lagos State Governor and the Chairman of the South-West Governors Forum, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has urged leaders and members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State to unite and work for the party’s success in the forthcoming November 16 gubernatorial election.

He appealed to all the party members, particularly all the aggrieved aspirants, to shun acrimony, close ranks, be united, and work for the victory of APC and its gubernatorial candidate, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, in the next month’s governorship election.

Governor Sanwo-Olu spoke on Sunday during the party’s stakeholders meeting in Akure, Ondo State’s capital.

The meeting was attended by Governors Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo), Abiodun Oyebanji (Ekiti) and Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), represented by the Secretary to Ogun State Government, Talabi Olatokunbo; APC National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje; National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru; National Vice Chairman (South-West), Hon. Isaac Kekemeke; former governorship aspirants; and other party leaders at national and state levels.

Speaking during the stakeholders meeting, Governor Sanwo-Olu, who is the South-West Coordinator of the APC, said Ondo State is very important to the progressives and all hands must be on deck to ensure that it remains within the progressive caucus.

According to Governor Sanwo-Olu, he, along with other governors and leaders of the party, would work assiduously to bring all members of the party together to form a formidable and indivisible bloc as the party goes into the governorship election in Ondo State, knowing that it is only a united front that can emerge victorious in political contests.

He said, “We have come here as a happy family. As APC family, we have come here to strengthen the party, and none of you will be left behind; nobody will be taken for granted as all of you are important, strategic, and critical in the delivery of our electoral victory on November 16.

“We have acknowledged yesterday’s Ondo; we are acknowledging today’s Ondo State, and the future is bright for Ondo State. This in-house meeting is to embrace all of us, beg all of us, and for all of us to agree to put whatever we have behind us. What is ahead of us is greater than what is behind us, and that is forward ever, backward never.

“The future is bright for Ondo. We must agree. We can’t get any leadership support other than this. If we come together, we will win. We are going out for an election; we need everyone in this election. That is why I brought everyone together to come and appeal to you. More than 85 percent of the votes we must get.”

In his address, APC National Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, also appealed to all the aggrieved members, particularly those who contested the party’s primary with Governor Aiyedatiwa, to close ranks and work as a team to ensure APC victory in the governorship election.

He said, “We are expecting 90 percent in the election; make sure you know those who are supposed to vote in your units and ensure they are mobilised to come out for the election.

“We assure you that Tinubu is the best we have, and we must deliver 100 percent in favour of APC in this election and in the South-West region. We assure you we are strategising to take over the two other states in this region.”

Also speaking, Governor Oyebanji urged all party members to remain united to preserve the achievements of the late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, adding that all hands must be on deck to ensure that APC remains the ruling party in Ondo State.

“We have a duty to ensure the achievement of Akeredolu is not reversed. We have a duty to keep Ondo State in the progressive circle. Coming second is not an option. We must retain APC in power,” he said.

Governor Aiyedatiwa, who appreciated party leaders and stakeholders for their show of love, unity and commitment, said the gubernatorial election is about moving Ondo forward and therefore appealed for unwavering support to achieve the goal.

Speaking at the event, some of the former APC governorship aspirants, Chief Olusola Oke, Mr Wale Akinterinwa and Princess Oladunni Odu, among others, expressed their commitment to work for APC and Governor Aiyedatiwa’s victory in the gubernatorial poll.

They said all the aspirants have agreed to work for Governor Aiyedatiwa to ensure that the opposition party does not take over Ondo State.

News

Oborevwori felicitates Ex-Gov. Uduaghan at 70

Published

15 mins ago

October 22, 2024

august24admin

Oborevwori felicitates Ex-Gov. Uduaghan at 70

DAN DENT ASABA

SPONSORED BY: H&H

Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, has congratulated former Governor of the state, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, as he clocks 70 years on October 22.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Sir Festus Ahon, in Asaba, Governor Oborevwori expressed profound gratitude to God for the life of the former Governor and for granting him many years of great accomplishments.

Oborevwori lauded the former state helmsman for supporting his emergence as Governor of the state.

He extolled Uduaghan for his outstanding contributions to the growth and development of the state and country, stating that some of the iconic projects in the state capital would remain indelible legacies of his stewardship in the state.

Governor Oborevwori described Uduaghan as “a compassionate, detribalised leader and elder statesman of repute”, whose contributions to the growth and development of the state and the country would remain ingrained in historical archives.

He appealed to the elder statesman to continue providing useful advice to the Government and people of the state, and prayed that God Almighty would continue to bless him with good health and long life.

Oborevwori gave special recognition to Uduaghan for the state’s free maternal and under-five health care programmes, which established the national standard.

The Governor said: “On behalf of my family, the Government and people of Delta, I congratulate our dear leader and former Governor, a renowned physician, an astute politician and remarkable statesman, Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, CON, on his 70th birth anniversary.

“On this auspicious occasion in your life, I join your family, friends and associates to thank Almighty God for His continued love and goodness to you and to pray for long life, good health and wisdom to keep serving God and humanity”.

News

Seplat Energy Announces NUPRC Confirmation of Consent on MPNU Deal

Published

20 mins ago

October 22, 2024

august24admin

Seplat Energy Announces NUPRC Confirmation of Consent on MPNU Deal

AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&H

Seplat Energy Plc, a leading Nigerian energy company listed on both the Nigerian Exchange and the London Stock Exchange, is delighted to announce that the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has confirmed that consent has been granted by the Honourable Minister of Petroleum Resources in Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, to proceed with the acquisition of the entire issued share capital of Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited (‘MPNU’) (“the Transaction”).

Seplat Energy sincerely thanks His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, for granting this approval, and appreciates the support and diligence of the various Ministries and regulators for all the work on this Transaction.

Further announcements will be made as and when appropriate, in line with regulatory requirements.