Okowa constructs 1,169 km roads in 8 years – Official

The Delta Government has reportedly completed the construction of 1,169 kilometres of roads and 597 kilometres of drainage projects in the eight years of former Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa’s administration.

Mr. Fred Dafioghor, thePermanent Secretary, Delta Ministry of Works, made the disclosure in Asaba on Tuesday.

Dafioghor said that the Okowa-led administration had between May 2015 and May 2023, embarked on a total of 890 projects across the state.

According to him, the projects covered about 2,088 kilometres of roads and 1,230 kilometres of drainage systems, out of which 494 were completed.

“As of now, we have about 396 ongoing projects covering 919 kilometres of roads and 597 kilometres of drainage projects inherited by the present administration of Gov. Sheriff Oborevwori,” he said.

Dafioghor also noted that the Ministry of Works was a very major part of Gov. Okowa’s administration in the sense that it executed several projects.

He added, ”Everybody who came to Asaba in 2015, about the time Okowa’s administration came in, will remember vividly that whenever it rained in Asaba, it was a nightmare for residents.

”So one of the things that Gov. Okowa did, which is underground and that nobody sees today, is the Major Storm Water Project that was executed in Asaba.

”In Asaba, we executed more than eight drainage projects. The first one was the completion of the drainage project on Jesus Saves Road,” he said.

The perm sec recalled that the construction of the drains began during the administration of the ex-Gov. James Ibori but was later abandoned until Okowa’s commitment and resilience completed it.

He also said that another milestone recorded by the previous administration was addressing the challenges of the Okpanam axis whenever it rained.

”Okpanam is about 100 metres higher than Asaba, and because of the nature of this development, most of the rains that fall in Okpanam end up in Asaba.

”The previous administration took some very decisive steps to construct two major drainage projects to address those situations,” he said.

Dafioghor also said that aside from the drains that were executed in Asaba and its environs, such projects had also commenced in other parts of the state, especially in the Warri/Effurun axis.

According to him, because of the continuity of governance, Gov. Oborevwori had inspected the project one month ago.

”Koka Flyover is another great achievement of the previous administration. Everybody will always remember the nightmare they go through plying that route before its completion,” Dafiogho said.

He, however, noted that flooding had been a major challenge to civil engineering projects, especially during the construction of roads and drains in the state.