Hot Source*Awards reconstruction to Chinese firm
Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba
The Delta State Government, has stepped in to salvage Warri-Sapele-Benin Road by awarding a contract for its reconstruction to China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) at the cost of over N35 billion.
Advertised by the Delta State Tenders Board, the projects spans the stretch from the Spare Parts Market U-Turn, Effurun in Ovwie Local Government Area, to near Ohore Junction, before Omenta Bridge in Uvwie and Okpe local government areas.
The reconstruction is expected to be completed within 12 months.
Terms of the contract indicated that CCECC would reconstruct a total of 10 kilometers of the dual carriageway, that is, five kilometers on each carriageway, with an expanded width of 11.6 metres and 2.8-metre shoulders.
The project also features stormwater drains, reinforced concrete pavement, and a durable wearing course.
The project is in tandem with Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s M.O.R.E development blueprint, which prioritises “infrastructure renewal and sustainable urban development”.
When completed, the road linking Delta State with other parts of the South-South and Niger Delta region, is expected to ease traffic congestion, improve connectivity, and boost socio-economic activities along one of the busiest corridors of Delta State.
Although regarded as a Trunk A federal road and strategic, the Effurun-Sapele-Benin ‘Expressway’ has for many years seen numerous severely failed portions, leading to frequent gridlocks and accidents, and reportedly worsened insecurity along the corridor with untold hardship for drivers, commuters and businesses.
“The state’s intervention reflects a determination to provide timely relief to motorists and preserve Delta’s status as a commercial hub in the South-South,” the Commissioner for Work and Public Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, noted.
By engaging the CCECC, the Oborevwori administration has assured residents and road users that quality and durability would be guaranteed, he said.
Aniagwu further stated that the intervention, coming on the heels of the completion of the Asaba-Kwale-Isoko-Ughelli highway by the state government, underscored “Governor Oborevwori’s commitment to delivering quality infrastructure that supports inclusive growth and prosperity; tackling challenges beyond state-owned roads to ensure safer, faster, and more reliable access to markets, industries, and neighbouring states.”
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