Delta Gov. Reaffirms Commitment To Rural Development

The governor of Delta State, Sheriff Oborevwori, has reiterated his intention to boost the state’s economy by opening up rural areas.

Oborevwori, on Tuesday, during his inspection of the construction of an access road to the proposed Asaba waterfront city, said the project was conceived by the previous administration through a Public partnership model.

“It is our strong commitment towards opening up rural areas to enhance the economic development of our rural dwellers,” he said.

The governor said the state government’s role was to construct a six-lane access road to the new city, while the developers were expected to reclaim the land and develop the city.

He said: “Asaba is becoming very attractive to property developers who are coming from Lagos to Asaba because Asaba today is housing most of those people from the South-East.

“They are coming here because they find Asaba very comfortable and they know that we are also hospitable. The Asaba waterfront city project is a Public Private Partnership arrangement between the state government and the developers. We must reclaim the place to give them an access route, a six-lane access road, to this place. They have done about 20 per cent of this job; the challenge they are having is the buildings on the right of way.

“We have released money for compensation to the property owners and we have also released funds to the contractor for the project. They have assured us they will complete the road project in July; so, I have come here to look at the work that has been done and I am happy that they are on site.

“If they continue at this speed, I know that before the end of this year, the project will be completed.”

At the 4.5km Oko-Amakom to Oko-Obiakpu main alignment road, the governor said, “This road is very important to the people of Oko; it is one meter above the 2012 flood level and the people sought refuge on the road during the last flood.

“The contractor has assured us that the project will be completed in June/July this year.

“What we are spending here on this road is much more than what we would have spent in constructing a 10km road elsewhere because of the terrain,” he averred.