Delta State Assembly Committee Commits to Revive Ailing Direct Labour Agency
ASABA/Nigeria: In a resolute bid to breathe new life into the ailing Direct Labour Agency (DLA), the Delta State Assembly Committee on Works and Special Projects, led by Hon. Oboro Preyor as its Chairman, has expressed deep concern over the present state of the agency and made an unwavering commitment to revive it. This declaration came during the inaugural meeting between committee members and the interim management team of the DLA, held at the State Assembly Complex in Asaba.
Chairman of the Assembly Committee on Works and Special Projects, Hon. Oboro Preyor, representing Bomadi Constituency in the House, stressed the imperative of resuscitating the DLA, invoking memories of Surveyor Terry Noah’s tenure as the Director General of the agency and underlining that the DLA must not be allowed to slip into oblivion.
The lawmaker elucidated that the DLA, established by an act of the Delta State House of Assembly, is the state’s sole interventionist agency mandated with the responsibility of road maintenance and the construction of smaller road infrastructure. Drawing a parallel with the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) at the federal level, he noted that there was a time when the DLA functioned nearly as a parallel body to the State Ministry of Works.
Hon. Preyor then directed the agency officials to swiftly furnish the committee with an exact estimate for the revival of the Asphalt Plants and the refurbishment of obsolete machinery, particularly earth-moving equipment. He further requested a comprehensive report detailing the agency’s staff strength and their functions, emphasizing the necessity of ensuring the agency possesses the requisite manpower for handling projects.
The committee, Hon. Preyor emphasized, is not inclined toward auctioning any of the equipment; rather, it intends to engage with relevant authorities, most notably the Governor of the State, to restore the lost prestige of the Direct Labour Agency. Citing the agency’s vital role in managing emergencies, Hon. Preyor cautioned against inflated cost estimates for the repair of ailing facilities.
The lawmaker expressed optimism that a visionary leader will be appointed as the next Director General of the agency, stressing that now is the opportune moment to align with the “MORE” mantra of the Oborevrwori’s administration.
Committee member Hon. Ferguson Onwo echoed this optimism, underscoring the cost-effectiveness of maintaining roads as opposed to allowing them to deteriorate to the point necessitating complete reconstruction.
During the briefing to the lawmakers, Acting Director General of the DLA, Engr. Henry Emonena, recounted the agency’s history as a hive of activity before a series of setbacks plunged it into its current state. Emonena lamented the loss of government patronage and revealed that all the Asphalt Plants, located in Oghara, Agbara-Otor, and Agbor, had fallen into disrepair due to rampant vandalism. However, he conveyed that the present management had successfully rehabilitated the Oghara plant, enabling the agency to undertake third-party projects.
Emonena noted that while only a handful of the machineries were operational, many of the ailing equipment, including Payloaders, Soil Compactors, Caterpillars, and Trucks, could be restored to working condition, thereby reinvigorating the agency’s capacity.
The Delta State Assembly Committee’s unwavering commitment to revive the Direct Labour Agency underscores a concerted effort to rejuvenate an essential component of the state’s infrastructure management, ensuring it remains a vital institution serving the needs of the people.
