The Special Adviser on Project Monitoring in Delta State, Dr. Goodnews Agbi, has attributed the delay in resumption of work on the proposed Isoko Ring Road, traversing through Isoko North and South Local Governments, to continued rains and flooding in the area.
In particular, he debunked insinuations that the contractor handling the road had abandoned it, revealing that once the rains and flood in the area subside, work will resume in earnest.
Dr. Agbi spoke against the backdrop of a viral video by youths in Ofagbe, one of the communities where the ring road is expected to pass through, suggesting that the contractor had abandoned the job. On the contrary, he revealed that the contractor was waiting for the rains and flooding in the area to recede before mobilizing back to site, adding that all outstanding conflicts concerning the project had been resolved.
“If you have been following up the story, we went there for monitoring and we invited the contractor, and he said the community (Ofagbe) are stealing his iron materials and equipment, preventing them from working. We invited the community, including the President General of Isoko Nation (IDU), who incidentally comes from the community, to this very office and had an MoU which was signed by everyone present that the contractor would move to site immediately to work.
“The contractor moved to site and on getting there, the contractor said his iron rods and other materials he kept had been stolen. I told him to move to the site and take inventory of all materials that were stolen, and he agreed. And the last time we spoke, he said as a result of the severe rains, he is doing the drainages until after the rains. That was the last time I heard of him,” he stated.
The Special Adviser said it was not true that the state government had abandoned the road, neither was it correct for anyone to suggest that the Governor does not care about the Isoko people.
“Of course, you know the Governor has not abandoned the Isoko people at all. Rather, he has done so much for the people of Isoko Nation. In the last Exco meeting, you saw the approvals. A lot of internal roads in Isoko Nation, and you are aware of what he is doing in the University at Ozoro; the extension and almost completing the Medical School. So the Governor is doing well for the people of Isoko.
“I must commend him for that. Look at the Asaba-Ughelli highway, starting from Iyede down to Ellu and Aradhe; you see the finishing in the Isoko axis. The Governor is doing well for the Isoko people, just as he is doing in other places. We have more roads. If you look at Delta South, Isoko has more roads now,” he added.
Dr. Agbi urged Isoko people to continue to keep faith with the administration of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori.
“They should not mind the opposition. A lot of projects are coming to the Isoko Nation, and Isoko should be patient with this government. The Governor loves Isoko, and of course, you know his wife is from Isoko Nation, so he cannot abandon them,” he enthused.
He similarly appealed to Deltans in general to be patient with the Oborevwori administration, pointing out that the Governor has shown that his mandate is for all.
“The Governor is a pan-Delta leader. It is only recently he awarded contracts to the Okpe-Osubi zone where he is from. All the contracts had been in other places. We have been doing monitoring in other Senatorial Districts and local governments. Let’s be frank, remove politics aside. No Governor has done what this man is doing in sincerity of purpose.
READ ALSO: Agbi inspects more abandoned projects in Isoko, urges contractors to return to work
