The 338km dual carriage East/-West Road – which spans Warri (Delta), Kalama (Bayelsa) to Port Harcourt (Rivers) through Eket to Oron (Akwa Ibom State) – is the main road project in the Niger Delta. The project, which was first awarded at the cost of N200bn in 2006 and later reviewed upward to N349bn due to inflation, drew a slew of media attention, mostly negative. CHRISTIANA ESEBONU, who was part of the National Assembly Joint Committee on Niger Delta’s oversight tour to the project site writes on her findings.

Since the award of the contract for the East-west Road contract, Nigerians, in fact, some lawmakers, as well as the opposition have continually sought clarification on issues ranging from completion of the project (initially slated for 2010 but later shifted to 2014) to the nature of its awarding (initially awarded at N35.6bn, was later reviewed upward with N31bn added, while Section 4 awarded for N26bn initially had N9.5bn added after variation) and several other allegations (engagement in unethical practices with contractors, for one) were also leveled against the Minister.

Contrary to wrangling by commuters and some critics of the Federal Government, the reality on ground shows that the most talked about project, originally contracted under the administration of Olusegun Obasanjo and re-contracted under Goodluck Jonathan’s, being handled by Minister of Niger Delta Affairs Elder Godsday Peter Orubebe, is fast reaching its completion. In addition, a detailed and strategic format has been employed to ensure that the December 2014 deadline for commissioning of the project is met .

LEADERSHIP observed that the Construction of the road has been carefully divided and proportioned into sections and sub-sections to ease construction works and traffic.

Section 1 of the road stretches from Warri in Delta State through Kaiama in Bayelsa State, with a capacity of nine 11m-wide Bridges across Rivers; the length of each bridge ranging between 30m to 850m. The 850m-long bridge spans a length of up to 95m and pier height of up to 20m above the pile caps. The bridge is being constructed using the balanced cantilever pre-cast, pre-stressed segment erection method.

Though the contract for the dualisation of the highway was transferred from the Federal Ministry of Works to the Ministry of the Niger Delta Affairs in April 2009 to fast-track its completion, several sections of the project has been completed.

The project, under the auspices of the Federal Ministry of Works was initially awarded to four different contractors: Section I, Warri-Kaiama (87.4km) in Delta State, to Setraco Nig Ltd; Section II, covering Kaiama-Port Harcourt (101km) in Bayelsa/Rivers states, to Julius Berger Nig. Ltd; Section III, stretching from Port Harcourt to Eket (99km) in Rivers/Akwa Ibom states, to RCC Nig. Ltd; and Section IV, Eket to Oron (51km) in Akwa Ibom State, to Gitto Costruzioni Gen. Nig. Ltd.

Section II, which was handled by Julius Berger, was terminated by the Federal Ministry of Works after the company abandoned the site over alleged insecurity; before it was transferred to the Niger Delta Ministry who re-awarded it to Setraco in April 2009.

Investigations further revealed that at the completion of the final design and drawings, the firm produced 42 bridges and 786 culverts of which 36 bridges and 756 culverts have been completed. With the development, the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs has attained over 60 per cent completion on the road.

A break-down of work done shows that the 87.4km Warri-Kaiama stretch has 65 kilometres asphaltic binder and 98 kilometres earthworks completed. Of the 19 bridges in the stretch, 18 have been completed while 75 per cent of the Patani Bridge sub-structure and pre-fabricated box girder segments have also been completed.

In the 54-kilometre Kaiama-Ahoada area of the road, 10 kilometres have asphaltic binder and 15- kilometre earthworks while seven of the 11 bridges have been completed. Similarly, the 47-kilometre Ahoada-Port Harcourt stretch has 15-kilometre asphaltic binder and 28-kilometre earthwork completed.

The Section III covering Port Harcourt-Eket stretch and handled by RCC has 124-kilometre asphaltic binder and 149-kilometere earthwork with four bridges completed while Section IV, which runs from Eket to Oron, has 24 kilometres asphaltic binder and 35-km earthwork completed while five of the six bridges are also completed.

The project, initially scheduled for completion in December 2010, automatically got a new completion date of December 2014, due to fund paucity, insecurity and heavy rainfall. LEADERSHIP gathered that out of the total contract sum of N349.868bn, only the sum of N170.64bn (comprising budget release to the ministry and SURE-P contribution) has been paid for work done.

While the amount required to complete the project is N179.225bn, it is worthy of note that the combined ministry/SURE-P budget for 2013 stands at N71.520bn, a short fall is still evident. This is inspite of the Federal Government’s recent acquisition of a-yet-to-be-released loan of N47bn loan from the African Development Bank Group, expected to be obtained and injected into the project before the end of October 2013. With this arrangement, the amount required in 2014 for the project is N141bn.

Speaking at the weekend after inspecting the road with the Minister Orubebe, members of the Senate and House of Representatives committees led by their chairmen, Senator James Manager and Hon. Warman Ogoriba, respectively, told journalists that the federal government needed to explore alternative funding sources to ensure the completion of the all-important road.

Interestingly; overwhelmed by the impressive height attained with the completion of road, the National Assembly advised the Federal Government to go the extra mile in acquiring the remaining N141bn required to help the ministry clear certificates generated by contractors and thus, meet its December 2014 completion timeline.

The lawmakers also believe that due to the nature of the project, the 2015 completion target should be pursued to ensure quality, bearing in mind the funding challenges, the topography of the region and weather factor.

Hon. Warman Ogoribo who observed that the minister had so much confidence in the yet-to-be released N50bn loan from the ADB, as well as complementary funding from the SURE-P and its 2014 budgetary allocation, maintained that even if all these were achieved, the ministry will record a short fall, as an indication of a carry-over to 2015.

The minister has promised to hand over the road by 2014 but we have our doubts as a committee. My argument is that, if the federal government fails to get the extra funds needed, this ministry will not deliver this project on the said date.’

On his part, Senator James Manager advised that instead of drawing up an impossible schedule given the topographical and funding challenges the ministry is faced with, the timeline for the commissioning of the flag-ship project should be spread over to December 2015, since it is not a ground field project where there are no impediments.

The project engineer handling bridges constructed by Setraco (one of the contractors) Mr Raed Saliba, expressed optimism that the Patani Bridge in Bayelsa would be completed by December 2014. Saliba promised that the new Okoso Bridge would be completed “within the next few months’’.

Orubebe, bent on ensuring that the aforementioned deadline becomes a reality, disclosed that his ministry is working “round the clock” and has secured a credit facility to the tune of N50bn from the African Development Bank,(ADB) to complete the flag-ship project.

So far, it is evident that despite the wrangling of the various stakeholders, some work has been done – to a large extent, too. In all the wrangling, the people of the region are at the receiving end and, surprisingly, all they need is the completion of this gargantuan project which will better their life.

The average Niger Deltan is not concerned about how much has been expended upon the project or who the contractor is; he is not interested in the length of the project and the number of states which it spans; he is not interested in the politics of contract awarding; he is not interested in the power-tussle which has underlined the project, so far; he is very much unconcerned by the payments which have been affected by inflation; rather, he craves one thing – the completion of the project for his own betterment, be it in 2014 or 2015. He cares so little.

Contrary to wrangling by commuters and some critics of the Federal Government, the reality on ground shows that the most talked about project, originally contracted under the administration of Olusegun Obasanjo and re-contracted under Goodluck Jonathan’s, being handled by Minister of Niger Delta Affairs Elder Godsday Peter Orubebe, is fast reaching its completion[/b]. In addition, a detailed and strategic format has been employed to ensure that the December 2014 deadline for commissioning of the project is met .

musiwa112: 334 km, I laugh.. which road is 334 km.. That road is less than 200 km. And they did not build it in delta state.. they built it in the east. from bayelsa to calabar.. became they are fighting for the east.. just deceiving delta.

lincolnj88: u are a big bush boar....d road 95 km road runing from ughelli in delta to kaima in bayelsa finished by setraco is running from ur dull head to ur anus

kel4soft: This is absolute nonsense. What they have achieve in Rivers is only one lane. I.e from Elele - Emuoha. Then, the other part they have completed is from Onne - Ette Junction (That is thanks to Yara dua who paid 80% of the money to RCC before he died.) Since the other section was given to Ministry of Niger Delta; the construction has been in snail movement. As I talk to you for the past one year. Setraco has been rigmaroling between Rumuomasi and Alakaiah in Port Harcourt section and are yet to complete one section of the road. Worst hit is the Rumuosi - Eleme junction which is now a laughing stock to our people. The Ahoada-Bayelsa-Ughelli axis has not been touched. How much did Orubebe pay to Leadership to write this rubbish. And why taking glory of Yaradua's achievement?

My candid advice to our brothers from the east, speak the truth always and stop all these deceitful acts. Remember when the Igbos send their children to schools, only to discourage their Ikwerre and Etche brothers from sending theirs. Now, you are supporting a clueless leader cos he is from our side, so you can laugh at us at the end of the day.
If an Igbo man choose a course to support, I will join the other pary because they are never sincere. " original mumu, na d 1 wey fall twice".

Demdem: I can confirm that Work is currently going on inside rivers part of this road. though ridiculously slow but SETRACO is on site. Next week, i will drive the whole stretch and confirm how far they have gone.

Obiagelli: like they say pictures or it didn't happen

chiefinalowo: Work is going on but it will take FG more than 1.5 years to complete that road. I am on the road from PH to Patani in Delta State, just passed Mbiama.

otokx:

Take note of the Bayelsa section of the road. MTN does not have full coverage on the road.

Tolexander: taharqa, you read this ^^^?

otokx: This is a satanic lie; road that i passed 3 weeks ago. No work done at all in Bayelsa and the flooding is a massive challenge. Instead of SETRACO to channel the water elsewhere they are just dredging and dumping sand only for mother nature to swallow it up. Work on the bridges are on going but slow. This work can't be finished by 2019 even if they work 24 hours. Its like trying to dig a dry hole in the ocean.

Demdem: I can confirm that Work is currently going on inside rivers part of this road. though ridiculously slow but SETRACO is on site. Next week, i will drive the whole stretch and confirm how far they have gone.

AnodaIT: GEJ has done it in Power
GEJ has done it in Roads and Infrastructures
GEJ has done it in Banking Sector
GEJ is doin it in Education.
[size=14pt]For the first time Nigeria is getting it rightly done
God Bless President Goodluck Jonathan
GEJ till forever.[/size]

lincolnj88: u are a big bush boar....d road 95 km road runing from ughelli in delta to kaima in bayelsa finished by setraco is running from ur dull head to ur anus