Oborevwori Applauds NDDC Over Benin-Sapele Highway Reconstruction

Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, has commended the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) for beginning the reconstruction of about 15.4 kilometres of damaged sections of the Benin-Sapele Expressway.

The governor described the intervention as a significant development that would improve transportation, strengthen economic activities and ease the difficulties faced by residents and motorists along the busy corridor.

Oborevwori made the remarks on Friday during the official flag-off of the reconstruction project at the Amukpe Roundabout in Sapele, Delta State.

Represented by the Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Charles Aniagwu, the governor said the project demonstrated the importance of cooperation among government institutions in addressing infrastructure challenges across the Niger Delta.

Aniagwu explained that the Delta State Government had also undertaken several projects on federal road corridors in the state because the people ultimately benefited from improved infrastructure regardless of whether a road was under federal or state control.

He disclosed that the state government had constructed more than five kilometres of rigid-pavement dual carriageway around Warri, while bridges and flyovers had also been delivered at several locations, including Otovwodo Junction, DSC Roundabout, PTI Junction, Enerhen Roundabout and Uromi Junction in Agbor.

According to him, the state government had spent more than N300 billion on federal road corridors as part of efforts to improve mobility and reduce the hardship experienced by motorists.

Aniagwu welcomed the NDDC’s intervention on the Benin-Sapele corridor, saying the completed project would significantly improve transportation and contribute to economic growth in Delta State and other areas connected by the East-West corridor.

He appealed to residents, community leaders and other stakeholders to cooperate with the contractors to ensure the project was delivered within the expected timeframe.

The commissioner also urged residents to stop vandalising critical infrastructure, citing the recent discovery of damaged components on the First Niger Bridge. He warned that the removal of vital parts of the bridge could weaken its structural integrity and pose serious risks to motorists and other road users.

Chairman of the NDDC Governing Board, Chiedu Ebie, said the commission commenced the reconstruction following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive to address the hardship experienced by commuters using the road.

Ebie assured motorists and residents that the commission was committed to completing the project and restoring smoother movement along the corridor, which has endured prolonged deterioration and traffic challenges.

He disclosed that two contractors would be deployed from opposite ends of the project to speed up construction.

According to him, the Benin-Sapele Expressway is more than a regional route, as it serves as an important economic corridor connecting the South-South with other parts of Nigeria.

Ebie also revealed that the NDDC had taken steps to terminate and re-award the contract for the Abraka-Obiaruku-Abavo-Agbor Road after difficulties experienced with the previous contractor.

The NDDC Managing Director, Samuel Ogbuku, apologised to residents, community leaders and commuters for the hardship caused by the poor condition of the road, assuring them that the intervention would bring relief.

Ogbuku said the project followed a directive from President Tinubu after the President became aware of the deteriorating condition of the road through videos and complaints from road users.

He said the NDDC subsequently worked with the Federal Ministry of Works, obtained the necessary project design and secured approval for the site to be handed over to the commission for immediate reconstruction.

Ogbuku stressed that the strategic importance of the route made its rehabilitation necessary, describing it as a major federal highway connecting the South-West and North with the South-South region.

Giving further details, the NDDC Executive Director of Projects, Victor Antai, said the reconstruction would cover approximately 15.4 kilometres and would be executed using rigid concrete pavement.

He added that China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) and Ronin and Fan Limited had been contracted to execute the project.

Meanwhile, the Delta State representative on the NDDC Governing Board, Monday Igbuya, praised the commission for approving the reconstruction and appealed for similar interventions on the Amukpe-Abraka-Agbor Road and Sapele-Warri Road.

According to Bush Radio Academy, the reconstruction is expected to improve connectivity, reduce travel difficulties and strengthen commercial activities along one of the region’s major transport corridors.