ABOH/Nigeria: Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, on Wednesday commenced the construction of the N29.8 billion Aboh-Akarai Road and Bridge project in Ndokwa East Local Government Area, declaring that his administration would continue to prioritise infrastructure projects capable of connecting neglected rural communities to economic opportunities and social development.
The governor said the 11-kilometre road project, which will link Aboh, Umuti, Akarai-Obodo and Akarai-Etiti communities, was conceived as part of deliberate efforts by his administration to bridge the developmental gap between urban centres and hard-to-reach riverine communities across the state.
Speaking during the groundbreaking ceremony, Oborevwori stated that his administration remained committed to delivering projects that would directly impact the lives of ordinary residents irrespective of location or terrain.
According to him, the approval of the project followed concerns raised by the Deputy Governor, Sir Monday Onyeme, after a difficult journey to Akarai community during a burial ceremony.
“This particular project came to my attention after the Deputy Governor attended a burial ceremony in Akarai. It took him several hours to access the community, and upon his return, he appealed passionately for the approval of this road project.
“He told me that approving the road would mean touching lives in the rural communities, and I immediately assured him that the project would be done. Today, that promise has become a reality,” the governor said.
Oborevwori explained that the road would be constructed with reinforced concrete pavement because of the swampy and flood-prone nature of the environment, noting that conventional asphalt technology would not withstand the terrain.
He disclosed that the project would include concrete drains, culverts of different sizes and a 140-metre multi-span bridge across the Okiri River to guarantee all-season accessibility for residents.
The governor further revealed that the road was intentionally designed above the flood levels recorded during the devastating 2012 flood disaster to protect the infrastructure from future flooding challenges.
Describing the project as a major economic intervention, Oborevwori said the road would improve movement of goods and services, ease transportation difficulties, encourage investment, and create new opportunities for farmers, traders, students, and healthcare access within the affected communities.
“For many years, residents of these communities have depended largely on river transportation. But with the completion of this road, things will change for the better.
“Movement will become easier, farmers will transport their produce to markets faster, students will gain easier access to schools, patients will reach hospitals without stress, and families will remain connected even during the rainy season,” he said.
The governor announced that the contractor handling the project had already been mobilised to site with 40 per cent advance payment amounting to N11.9 billion, expressing confidence that the project would be delivered within the scheduled 12-month timeline.
He also disclosed that his administration’s next major infrastructure groundbreaking ceremony would be for the N32.8 billion Ojobo-Torugbene Road project in Burutu Local Government Area.
Oborevwori appealed to community leaders, youths, and residents to cooperate with the contractor to ensure smooth execution of the project without disruption.
In his remarks, Deputy Governor Monday Onyeme expressed appreciation to the governor for what he described as genuine commitment to the development of Ndokwa Nation.
“The vision that I once brought before you has today become a reality. On behalf of the entire Ndokwa Nation — Ndokwa East, Ndokwa West, and Ukwuani Local Government Areas, we say a very big thank you,” Onyeme said.
He described Oborevwori as “a builder of bridges of possibility, progress, and development,” adding that several communities previously abandoned in terms of infrastructure were now witnessing government presence under the current administration.
The deputy governor noted that Akarai community was experiencing tarred road infrastructure for the first time in its history, while listing other ongoing projects within Ndokwa Nation, including the Emu-Ebendo/Ashaka Road, Ase/Umu-Ase Road, Eweshi/Otokutu Road, Ndemili/Utagba-Uno Road and Amai-Aragba Road projects.
Commissioner for Works (Highways and Urban Roads), Comrade Reuben Izeze, said the Oborevwori administration had continued to silence critics through the execution of large-scale infrastructure projects across Delta State.
Earlier, Chairman of Ndokwa East Local Government Council, Hon. Vincent Oshilonya, described the project as a long-awaited intervention that would improve commerce, transportation, and living conditions for residents of the area.
Also speaking, President-General of Ndokwa Neku Union, Comrade Amaechi Asugwuni, alongside traditional and community leaders including the Obi of Aboh Kingdom, HRM Greg Oputa III, commended the governor for ongoing developmental projects and appointments benefiting Ndokwa Nation.
