The people of Uromi in Esan North East Local Government Area of Edo State have expressed their appreciation to the Federal Government on the construction of the Adaokere-Ukoni-Amedokhian road,a press release today said.
Speaking on behalf of the community at a reception organized in honour of members of the National Good Governance Tour, the Secretary, Felix Ofanson appreciated the visit of the Team to their Community.
He further appreciated the President Goodluck Jonathan Administration for other laudable projects being executed in their community and the rest of the country.
They equally used the occasion to further appeal to the Federal Government to speed up work on the project, particularly, the drainage system to arrest cases of flooding in the area.
Responding, the Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku thanked the community for coming out to receive the team. He noted that Uromi occupies a special place in the history of Nigeria recalling that Late Anthony Enahoro, who moved a motion for the Independence of Nigeria in 1953 hailed from the community.
“He was also one of Nigeria’s greatest Ministers of Information, he was Minister of Information in the days of the civil war. He did well and struggled for the unity of this country.
“In addition to this, one of our principal political leaders who has been working hard for the unity and development of this country, Chief Tony Anenih is also from this community.
“We are here to inspect some of the Federal projects being executed here and all over Edo State. We started this yesterday and we inspected the Benin-Ore road which starts from the centre of Benin. Traveling on that road used to take 12 hours now it is brought down to 4 hours.
“We want to reassure the people of the South South that your son Goodluck Jonathan is a new generation leader that is leading the country in a modern and different direction. Let nobody be in doubt that this President is working for the country and definitely he is delivering on the strategic milestones for the transformation of Nigeria.
He further reassured of the Federal Government’s commitment to Edo State, Uromi Community and all the communities stretched across the South South. “The National Good Governance Tour is to specifically verify the projects, the time is gone when the Minister of Information will sit in Abuja and begin to issue out press statements. We want to go out and see the work and let Nigerians see the work that is going on”, Mr. Maku stated.
Briefing the team on the road project earlier, the Works Minister, Mr. Mike Onolememen noted that when the project was flagged off last year many were skeptical about its existence believing it was politically motivated.
He pointed out that mobilization was not paid out even during the electioneering as it was paid towards the end of 2012 saying the cost of the contract is 2.2 billion naira.
“Before the Ministry of Works awarded this contract it was in a very deplorable condition and the Ministry of Niger Delta about two three years ago had awarded a contract for the control of erosion because this road leads to the only oil community in this Local Government Area. But that didn’t solve the problem”, the Works Minister informed.
He said: “The project, Contract No: 6131, had been featuring in the Annual Budget of the Federal Ministry of Works, however, nothing happened until last year when the contract was awarded and you can see the progress that has been made”.
He told the team that the road is 18kilometers in length and 7.5meters wide and features a lot of drainage work. The Works Minister said to ensure the road lasts longer the asphalting is done from drain to drain what he said ought to be the shoulders.
Shedding more light on the work done so far, the representative of the company handling the project, ARC Marine and Civil Contractors said the stone base has been achieved up to Kilometer 2.8, asphalt work done beyond 2 kilometers while drainages have been done up to 4 kilometers.
He said the company plans to complete the road by the end of the year.
Governor Adams Oshiomhole had earlier kicked against the tour but Maku took it to Uromi which is Chief Anenih’s place.
