Edith CHUKU / Onyeche Wofurum IGWE
Residents of Lovers Road which connects the Rumuchiorlu Community with the second market end of Eneka Clan, as well as those in the Goshen Estate Road in the Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, are full of praises for the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.
They poured encomium on NDDC following the commission’s intervention to rehabilitate their road which has been in comatose for about 29 years now.
The residents also eulogised the NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, for approving the installation of solar lights for the roads which have been a death trap to motorists, slowing down economic activities in the areas.
They made these remarks on Monday at the Lovers Road axis where the signing and formal handover of the 1.4 kilometers road to the contractor, Westpac Engineering Group, took place in the presence of residents, NDDC representatives and other stakeholders.
In his welcome address, Chairman of Lovers Unity Road, Mr Livinus Mbakogu, expressed the belief that the road when completed, would improve the infrastructure and living conditions of people in the community.
Mbakogu said “it is with immense joy and heartfelt appreciation that I, on behalf of the entire residents of Lovers Unity Road, warmly welcome the managing director of NDDC, through his representative, and his esteemed delegation to our community today.
“This is a day of great significance for us, a day that marks not just the commencement of road construction and streetlight project but the beginning of improved access, enhance living standards, and renewed hope for our people for years, the residents of Lovers Unity Road have endured the challenges posed by poor road infrastructure inadequate lighting difficult access during rainy seasons, damage to vehicle and limited mobility for the young and elderly alike.
“Your presence here today and the flag-off of this road project stand as a strong testimony to the commitment of the NDDC to grassroots development, social impact and infrastructural transformation within the Niger Delta region. We are encouraged that our voices have been heard and that meaningful action is being taken to improve our daily lives.
“This project is more than just a road and streetlight, it is a path to better health, easier education, business growth and greater community connection.”
The chairman assured the commission of the unwavering support of the people of Lovers Road and cooperation to ensure the smooth execution of this important project. To the contractors and technical team, he encouraged them to carry out the project with the excellence that the current NDDC team is known for.
Also speaking, a representative of the community, who is also the immediate past chairman, Mr Aleruchi Chukwu, described the event as a beautiful moment for the community.
Chukwu appreciated the federal government and the NDDC for their role in making the road project a reality, even as he recalled several attempts they have made for the past 15 years to put the road in a motorable condition but failed.
“We have confidence in NDDC. We are sure that they will do it. We are also praying that God will make funds available for the contractor because this contract they are funding by themselves, they have not received any part payment and I pray that God should open door for them to get every required fund to complete this road. We are going to give them all necessary support to make sure their job is completed on time.”
On his part, General Manager of the contracting firm, Mr. Abiye Abhili, assured the people of standard work delivery and completion within the next 90 days.
“The truth is that we have a standard and I can assure you that WestPaq Engineering Group is of the highest standard when it comes to delivery of work; we’ve always maintained the scope given by the consultants and clients; the NDDC, and by God’s Grace this is one of the projects we want to finish in record time because we are looking forward to the MD NDDC to come in and commission this road.
“From our work schedule, we have a maximum time of 90 days and we are out of here. That is part of our commitment to them. It’s a build up area already so we do not intend to allow discomfort to neighbours because of traffic here, we have a full team here to ensure rapid delivery.”
Abhili commended the residents for being cooperative, promising that “the company is going to relate with NDDC and the residents have our assurances that there will be an extension of these projects after this particular project finishes.”
Earlier, Mrs Adagogo Rita Brown, a representative of the NDDC, provided details about the road project. She stated that the project involves constructing a 1.4 kilometer road with a one-side drainage system and solar light.
Brown noted the importance of the site handover ceremony, which marks the official commencement of the project, appealing to the community to collaborate with the contractors.
She explained that showing appreciation for small projects motivates stakeholders to undertake more initiatives in the community, even as she warned that a negative attitude could deter future projects.
In his closing remark, Mr Kelvin Omah thanked the NDDC and recounted their ordeals on the road. A hairstylist who gave her name simply as Blessing, revealed that “if them do road we go benefit well well. This bad road has been disturbing us, especially when it rains.
“We say kudos to NDDC, we really appreciate. We have suffered too much, the rain has been disturbing us, bad road, even when car passes, they will splash water on us. We appreciate, thank you NDDC.”
