PHOTO: SAMUEL JIBUNOR
AGBARHO/Nigeria: Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, has directed the immediate development of a permanent engineering solution to the washed-out section of the East-West Road at Agbarho, Ughelli North Local Government Area, following the collapse triggered by several days of heavy rainfall.
Oborevwori gave the directive on Saturday during an inspection of the damaged section, where he said the state government was prepared to finance permanent remedial works after emergency measures restore traffic along the major South-South highway.
The governor was accompanied by Julius Berger Nigeria Plc Regional Manager, Fredrick Wieser; Chairman of Ughelli North Local Government Council, Olorogun Jaro Egbo; Executive Director of NEXIM Bank, Hon. Stella Okotete, and other officials.
The affected section reportedly failed after about six consecutive days of heavy rainfall, disrupting movement along the road, which serves as a major link between Delta and Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states. MetrowatchXtra
Oborevwori said he moved quickly to engage Julius Berger because of the importance of the route and the need to reduce the hardship being experienced by motorists and other road users.
He explained that the immediate objective was to reopen the road to traffic while technical investigations continued to determine a lasting solution to the recurring drainage and structural challenge at the location.
The governor attributed the failure partly to the large volume of water flowing from different parts of Agbarho towards the affected section, creating hydraulic pressure that overwhelmed the existing infrastructure.
He said the permanent intervention must therefore be designed around the actual volume and movement of water in the area, rather than merely replacing the damaged portion of the road.
According to him, the state government was ready to fund the permanent remedial work once the appropriate engineering solution had been established.
Speaking on the technical options under consideration, Wieser said Julius Berger had commenced surveys and hydraulic assessments to determine the structure required to withstand the volume of water passing through the area.
He said the final solution could be either a mini-bridge or a multi-cell culvert, with the number of culvert cells to be determined by the outcome of the hydraulic calculations.
Wieser said the construction company was currently concentrating on emergency works aimed at restoring traffic while its design team worked on the permanent intervention.
The development follows an earlier directive by Governor Oborevwori for Julius Berger to move in and undertake emergency repairs after the road section collapsed. The company subsequently mobilised to the site and commenced remedial work.
Oborevwori commended Julius Berger for responding promptly to the emergency, stressing that restoring access to the route was important because of its economic significance to the South-South region.
He described the East-West Road as a major economic artery whose disruption affects the movement of people, goods and services across several states.
The governor also sympathised with motorists and residents affected by the road failure, saying government must respond to difficult situations with practical solutions and empathy.
He appealed against the politicisation of the incident, arguing that the priority should be addressing the immediate hardship faced by road users rather than exploiting the situation for political purposes.
“When people are in difficult times and facing challenges, we are supposed to support them and show empathy, rather than exploit the situation,” the governor said.
Oborevwori said his administration would continue to focus on infrastructure and other projects capable of improving the welfare of residents, adding that government had a responsibility to respond to challenges affecting the people.
He further assured road users that the emergency intervention would make the affected section accessible again, while the permanent solution was being developed.
The latest intervention comes amid growing concerns over the vulnerability of the Agbarho section to flooding and erosion. Earlier reports on the collapse attributed the immediate damage to heavy rainfall and strong erosive forces around the affected portion.
With the hydraulic assessment now underway, the choice between a mini-bridge and a multi-cell culvert is expected to be guided by technical findings on water flow and the capacity required to prevent a recurrence.
