Delta Assembly Urges FG to Reconstruct Abraka, Sapele, Agbor Federal Roads; .

Passed Delta State School of Nursing & Midwifery bill.

BY PATRICK OGBOGU 

The Delta State House of Assembly today passed a resolution urging the federal government to reconstruct the Abraka-Sakponba-Benin Express Road and the Sapele-Eku-Abraka-Agbor-Ewu federal roads in the state.

The resolution followed a motion moved under matters of urgent public important by Hon Evans Ivwurie representing Ethiope East Constituency and seconded by Hon Sheriff Oborevwori.

The motion also called on Gov Ifeanyi Okowa as a matter of urgency urged President Muhammadu Buhari to direct the Mnister of Power, Works & Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola SAN to immediately return the contractor back to site and carry out repair works on the road.

The motion was amended by Hon Reuben Izeze representing Ughelli South Constituency to expunge the part of the motion which called on President Buhari to investigate the non completion and abandonment of the two roads and the section of the money released and the actual money paid to the contractors.

Hon Izeze said it was not within the legislative power of the House to urge the President to investigate the non completion of the road.

The motion was unanimously adopted by the House.

The motion as moved by Hon Ivwurie noted that the Abraka and the adjourning roads was awarded at the cost of #30 billion in February 2011, while the Sapele-Abraka-Agbor-Ewu dualization was awarded at the cost of # 112.8 billion in March 2015.

He said both roads were federal roads and have remained in a state of dilapidation, unmotorable and had been completely abandoned despite the fact that the roads had been flagged off and mobilization fees paid to the contractors.

The lawmaker told his colleagues that the two federal roads were of high economic importance as it connects over two hundred communities in the state with Edo neighbouring Edo state.

He stressed that the present state of the road had made it difficult for farmers, motorists and other road users, hence the need for the immediate repair of the road.

Other lawmakers who supported the motion including Hon Izeze; Hon Emeka Nwaobi and Hon Daniel Yingi adduced that it was the responsibility of the federal government to fix federal roads, adding that the movement of goods and services including farm produce to other parts of the country was now very difficult because of the deplorable conditions of the roads.

The lawmakers pointed out that many people will be thinking that the two roads were owned by the state government and would be wondering why the state government abandoned the roads whereas they were federal roads.

The motion was unanimously adopted by the House when put to a voice vote by the Speaker, Rt Hon Monday Igbuya.

The School of Nursing and Midwifery bill was also passed today before
the House adjourned to tomorrow morning.