NDDC Begins Palliative Work On East-West Road, Seeks Motorists’ Cooperation

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has begun emergency repairs on the failed sections of the East-West Road between Ahoada and Ula-Okobo town in Rivers State’s Ahoada West LGA.

Dr Samuel Ogbuku, Managing Director of the NDDC, inspected the ongoing repair work at the failed sections of the East-West Road between Ahoada and Ula-Okobo town in Rivers State’s Ahoada West Local Government Area and urged motorists to cooperate with the contractor performing the repairs.

In a press statement issued by Seledi Thompson-Wakama, Director of Corporate Affairs, Ogbuku stated that the emergency repairs would restore the link between Rivers and Bayelsa states, but added that the contractor was having difficulty transporting construction materials to the trouble spots that needed to be repaired.

The NDDC Chief Executive Officer, accompanied by other Commission Directors, received an on-site briefing from Webster Global Ventures, the project’s construction firm.

Ogbuku observed that the road’s poor condition necessitated the NDDC’s emergency measures to repair and make it motorable.

He apologised to road users, particularly truck drivers, who had been stuck at the bad spot for several days, and assured them that the NDDC would support the Federal Ministry of Works’ efforts to build massive culverts in the sections washed away during the 2022 flood.

The NDDC boss assured that the Commission would assist the Ministry of Works’ construction company in urgently repairing the failed and impassable sections of the road to restore connections between Rivers, Bayelsa, and Delta states.

He stated, “We were here a week ago and noticed that no vehicle could travel between Rivers and Bayelsa states. Following that visit, we immediately hired a construction company to repair roughly 1.5 kilometres of nearly impassable road. Our inspection today revealed that more road sections needed to be repaired.

Engr. Opeoluwa Adara, Managing Director of the construction firm in charge of the repairs, assured the NDDC that the company would work quickly to complete the repairs. He was disappointed that some of the drivers were making it difficult for them to deliver materials for the repairs.

He promised that road connections to Rivers, Bayelsa, and Delta State would be restored soon, saying, “It is difficult, but we have been working to stabilise the bad sections and make them motorable.

Malam Sani Ahmed, one of the truck drivers stranded in Okobo, lamented that he had been unable to move his vehicle for more than a week. He pleaded with the Federal Government and the NDDC to assist them by repairing the road, claiming that they were at the mercy of criminals who were taking advantage of their vulnerability.