The Bayelsa State Government says plans are underway to commission the 89 kilometre Sagbama/Ekeremor road as part of activities to mark the third anniversary in office of the State Governor, Senator Douye Diri.
The multi-billion naira project was conceptualised in 1979, during the tenure of Chief Melford Okilo, Second Republic governor of old Rivers State, but no administration mustered the political will to execute the project.
The immediate past administration of Senator Henry Seriake Dickson took the challenge, despite the huge financial implications and began work on the road project.
Diri, who took over from Dickson, vowed to complete the project during the lifespan of his first tenure because of what he described as the socio-economic benefit of the road to people of Bayelsa West Senatorial District and the state in general.
The governor, during one of his regular project inspection tour of the road, said if
the contractor kept to the terms of the contract, all sections of the road would be completed as scheduled.
Confirming plans to inaugurate the road, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, said as one of its big ticket projects, the government was committed to ensuring speedy completion and on record time.
According to him, the contractor, Setraco has completed all the bridges up to Ekeremor town and asphalted substantial stretch of the road from Toru-Orua to Angalabiri, Ofoni, Ayamasa, Aleibiri, Isampou and Ekeremor town.
He said, “The governor inherited uncompleted key projects from past administrations and in his wisdom, he reasoned that it was important to complete them since state resources have been spent on such projects. One of which is the Sagbama/Ekeremor road.
“Everything is being done to ensure we commission the project as part of the third anniversary of the Prosperity government. We have made the resources to achieve that available to the contractor and we are optimistic that the project will be completed as scheduled”.
Speaking on the importance of the road, Alabrah said it will further open up that part of Bayelsa and allow for free flow of goods from coastline communities to other parts of the state as well as curb incessant boat mishaps in the riverine communities.
He added that other ongoing projects like the phase two of the Glory Drive road, from Igbogene to Onopa, will be inaugurated during the third anniversary celebration to further create alternative routes into the city center and also open up the state.