Delta State Government has changed its design and supervision concepts of road projects to ensure they stand the test of time amidst rising costs of materials.
“That is one thing we have been able to establish, and the contractors know that it is no longer business as usual,” the state Commissioner for Works (Highways and Urban Roads), Comrade Reuben Izeze, has disclosed.
Speaking at the 12th edition of “Journalists Hangout” at the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) Secretariat on Sunday, in Asaba, the state capital, Comrade Izeze 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 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 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 to date despite the fact that the man had died some years ago. That is the kind of legacy road that Governor Sheriff Oborevwori wants to provide for Deltans.
“Legacy roads start from the point of design, and I will not allow anyone to use Google Maps to design roads for me; you have to go to the site and show me your drains and where they are 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 a 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 to the 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 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 from 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 work on PTI Road; Uti Road is 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 has been 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 the lives of Deltans, especially when the roads are not encumbered by 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.
ALSO READ THESE TOP STORIES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE