The Rivers State Government has approved the sum of N6.7 billion for the reconstruction of the 5-kilometre long Okania-Ogbogoro Road in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the Garden City, abandoned by the past administration.
The approval was given at the 7th State Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Siminalayi Fubara with his deputy, Ngozi Odu and other members of the Cabinet in attendance.
The meeting, which was the second this year, held at the Executive Chambers of Government House in Port Harcourt on Wednesday.
Briefing newsmen after the meeting, Atemea Briggs, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Works, explained that the road, which stretches from Okania through Ogbogoro to Ozuoba, is located in the State Capital, Port Harcourt.
He noted that road contract was initially awarded to Nugi Nigeria Limited in 2017, but was abandoned after preliminary works.
Briggs said that with the abandonment, the road collapsed, making it completely impassible, “thereby constituting a major traffic challenge to motorists, especially now that works have intensified on the Port Harcourt Ring Road that traverses part of Ozuoba.”
“The proposed Okania-Ogbogoro Road in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area is about 5 kilometres in length.
“It is connecting Okania to the major Ogbogoro-Ozuoba Road. Presently, the state of the road is completely impassible; and it is filled with water.
“The project was previously awarded to Nugi Nigeria Limited on April 12, 2017, and partial work was done up until 2020 when the contractor abandoned the project”, he said.
“From that time, until now, due to the neglect, the major sections of the road, including the internal community roads, have all collapsed.
“But presently, due to the outcry of the people around the area and commuters as a result of the ongoing construction of Port Harcourt Ring Road, the road is considered for reconstruction.
“The Council has approved a total sum of N6.7Bn for the road contract award. The period of the construction is expected to last only five months,” he added.
Also briefing newsmen, Joseph Johnson, the Commissioner of Information and Communications, said the Council approved that the former contract with Nugi Nigeria Limited be terminated and the project re-awarded to China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC).
Johnson stated that a 40% mobilisation fee had been paid to the new contractor, CCECC, adding that the project would be funded entirely from savings in the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the State.
