ODAHIEKWU OGUNDE, Yenagoa
The long-abandoned Nembe-Brass Road in Bayelsa East Senatorial District has received a boost as the state government has set aside N54.1bn to commence the first phase of the project.
The state government said it had awarded the contract for the first phase of the road project to Setraco Nigeria Limited, a firm that distinguished itself in the bid process.
The acting Chief of Staff, Government House, Yenagoa, Dr. Peter Akpe, made this known shortly after the weekly state executive council meeting at the Government House, Yenagoa.
Akpe, who is also a member of the state procurement board, said after following the due processes, the contract was awarded for N54.1billion.
He said given the significance of the road project, the contractor was carefully selected from a list of other reputable companies and expressed the confidence that the firm that won the bid would deliver a quality job.
Also, the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Mr Moses Teibowei, said the first phase of the road covers a distance of 21 kilometres with 10 bridges.
Teibowei noted that the award of the contract had put paid to rumours that the state government had abandoned the project.
He also dispelled claims in some quarters that construction giants, Julius Berger, which is handling the final phase of the dualised Isaac Boro Expressway project, had blocked the canal at Etegwe in Yenagoa.
He said the company was rather doing a professional job, which his ministry was supervising to ensure that the right things were done.
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy, Mr. Ayibaina Duba, assured the people that the government was committed to the development of the state.
Duba urged those spreading unfounded stories about projects, especially on social media, to desist from such.
He said the government conducted its activities transparently and would always avail the people of the state of the necessary information as regards its development.
Also, the Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Maxwell Ebibai, assured the people that funding of the project would not be an issue as the government had secured the funds to execute it.
