…Gives contractor, Setraco, 18 months deadline
Delta State Government yesterday (Wednesday) awarded the contract for the construction of the 7.6 kilometre Umeh Road in Isoko South Local Government Area to Setraco Nigeria Limited at a cost of N3.625 billion.
The road project when completed would ease evacuation of agricultural produce from the locality to the rest of the state and beyond.
Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan had on Tuesday during an unscheduled visit to the area, following a Facebook page campaign which drew his attention to the situation of the road, informed that his administration was interested in the construction of the road because of the great agricultural potentials of the people adding that the farm produce from the area could feed the state and country in general.
The contract for the road project was awarded during a tender’s board meeting which gave a completion period of not more than 18 months.
Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan during the said visit, his second in a space of two months, to the largely agrarian Umeh community, said priority would be given to the construction of the deplorable access road linking the area to the outside world.
He explained that the community would enjoy the dividends of democracy after so many years of neglect by previous administrations.
Amid chants of political slogans by the community members, the governor said; “I did not come here for politics, I came here as the governor of the state, I am the governor to every Deltan.
“I assure you that the contract for the road will be awarded soon and it will be given to the best contractor to handle. I will do my part to see to the completion of the road. You will also do your part in increasing your farming proceeds,” Governor Uduaghan had assured during the visit.
Governor Uduaghan observed that he learnt about the deplorable situation of Umeh Road from the Facebook site created by Barr. Afohokor Duncan, an indigene of the community and decided to come and see things for himself.
He said “you people are sophisticated farmers, what I saw in your farm lands are wonderful. You people have gone far in Agriculture. I commend you.”
He also promised that the only primary school in the area would be renovated in addition to the construction of modern classroom blocks.
In a brief response, a community leader thanked the governor for the visit, saying “this is the first time we are seeing a governor in our midst. This shows that you have interest in our road.”
He commended the governor for the promise he made to renovate and re-build the primary school in the area adding that the community did not lobby for the dividends of democracy.
