… amongst it’s the legacy project : the 25.7Klm Ogbia-Nembe road
By Emmanuel Abi Couson
Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, will over the next two weeks, commission 92 infrastructure projects executed at a cost of N84 billion across the nine mandates states in the region.
The Commission’s Director, Corporate Affairs, Pius Ughakpoteni, in a statement in Port Harcourt, said the projects were a testament of the impact the Commission was making in changing the development narratives of the region.
He named the projects as the 25.7-kilometre Ogbia-Nembe Road, which he said created a road link to the ancient city of Nembe, for the first time in living memory and the 9.15km of pre-fabricated vertical drains on the swamp and seven bridges.
It is one of the legacy project of the commissionHe said the Ogbia-Nembe road was executed at N24bn and cuts the travel time to Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital from three hours on dangerous water routes to a mere 45 minutes adding that it opened up 14 communities for development.
Ughakpoteni said the project was executed in partnership with Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), and hailed as a model in NDDC’s partnership approach to tacking the development challenges of the region.
Also scheduled for inauguration is the 132KV Transmission Line and I32KV/33KV Substation electrification project, executed at l N8.3bn to optimise power supply to local government areas in the southern part of Ondo State.
The project covered the construction of 45km double circuit 33KV feeder lines from Omotosho Power Station (Hook-up point) to Okitipupa and two 30MVA, 132/33KV Injection Substations with breakers, gantry and substation automatio
He said it also included the construction of a three-bedroom semi-detached bungalow as service quarters.
Ughakpoteni said: “The capacity of this power station isoptimized withthe provision of 2 x 60MVA, 132/33KV transformer and other ancillary works at Okitipupa Injection Substation, rehabilitation of 35km 33/11KV transmission from Okitipupa-Igbokoda-Ugbonla and environs and the construction of 1km rigid pavement.
*The electricity project will complement the Federal Government’s effort in the power sector by improving power supply to Okitipupa, Igbokoda and other neighbouring communities in Ondo South Senatorial District with direct value chain in small and medium scale industries, job creation and consequently engender growth and development in Ondo State”.
He said in Akwa Ibom State, NDDC would inaugurate the 6.87km Iko-Iwuochang road in the southern part of the state.
He said: “The road project consists of two-lane single carriage way, a 600-metre bridge and side drains. The e N10bn virgin road project links 20 communities, hitherto separated by the Qua Iboe river.
*In Abia State, NDDC will commission the Obehie to Oke Ikpe-road reconstructed at a cost of N3.5 billion. The nine-kilometre road restores the road link between Rivers and Akwa Ibom states, through Abia (Ukwa East/West).
“It involved the reconstruction of seven kilometres of failed section of the road and the construction of three kilometres and 8 kilometres of drainage. Other projects include roads, electrification, a police station, health centres and school blocks”.
