By Samuel Ogude
The Hon.Minister of Niger Delta Development ,Engr. Abubakar Momoh said his Ministry is ready to work with the Ministry of Works to ensure that all abandoned road projects in the country are completed.
Engr. Momoh stated this over the weekend when he, accompanied by his encourage paid courtesy visit to the His Royal Majesty,Major General Felix Mujakperuo(Rtd),Orhue I, Orodje of Okpe Kingdom, in his Palace in Okpe Local Government Area of Delta State.
According to him, as a Ministry of Niger Delta, they are expected to co-ordinate all the activities of all the region in terms of development, empowerment and protection. He however said that if the road projects remain in his Ministry, as a Minister, within the next two years , if given the necessary financial resources, he would be able to make the roads motorable.
His words:”And now the projects have been moved to the Ministry of Works, by the time we get back when we have finished with our tours, we will definitely interface with the Minister of Works with a view to fashioning out how best the roads can be constructed in a very short time.”
According to the Minister, he is barely one month in the office saying, their mission of visiting the region is to see to the challenges and the progress so far made in the region before they settle down for work. He said, he has personally observed that most of the roads in the region are in deplorable situation adding that, he will think of a way to fix them as he settles down in office. According to him, Delta State makes the sixth states they have visited in the tour saying, the story is the same.
His words:” This is the sixth state we have visited. We started with Rivers, then, Bayelsa, Akwa-Ibom, Cross River, Benin City and now in Delta, the story of bad roads is the same”.
He said, they have to visit the Governors and the Traditional Rulers because they are the custodians of peace in the country adding that, Niger Delta being a volatile region, to maximize economic potential of Nigeria, Niger Delta must be peaceful as, being one of the cardinal objectives of Mr. President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s of peace and security.
His words:”If you are talking about critical stakeholders in any region, we should talk of the Governors of the state and then, Traditional rulers in terms of hierarchy “
He said, most of the Governors visited said the East-West Road, it does appear, transverses four states as Warri to Benin and Uyo to Calabar are not part of road(East West) and therefore be renamed as South-South Road just as it should be from Warri to Benin and from Uyo to Port-Harcourt. According to him, virtually all the roads are bad which make journey on roads that ought to take one hour, take five hours. He therefore thanked the Monarch for the warm reception accorded him and his entourage and promised to do something about the situation to see that the country move to the next level in this direction.
Responding, His Royal Majesty, Major General Felix Mujakperuo(Rtd),Orhue I, Orodje of Okpe Kingdom said Niger Deltas are suffering especially in the areas of roads as virtually all the roads are not motorable. He said, due to these bad roads, they are now Den of kidnappers and armed- robbers adding that, areas mostly begging for repairs include: Benin to Port-Harcourt, Asaba Road, from Amukpe to Abraka down to Agbor to Uromi among others. According to him, Niger Delta that produces the nation’s wealth are neglected as nothing in terms of development to show for it. His words:” We are treated as if we not part of the country, if they don’t want us, allow us go”.
Orodje of Okpe who is the Chairman of Delta State Council of Traditional Rulers said those representing the people in the National Assembly and NDDC do not help matters as neither of them help in any way hence, there are many abandoned projects in the country which have plunged the people into suffering in the midst of plenty. He also frowned at the situation where the traditional rulers are denied access to the President despite several letters they have written to that effect.
While thanking the Hon. Minister for the visit, he appealed to him to relate their message(s) to Bola Ahmed Tinubu (President) not just to come to their rescue but make arrangements for them (Traditional Rulers) to see the President to iron out issues bothering them in the region.