Delta demands N40bn spent on federal roads

The Delta State Government on Monday said it has spent well over N40bn to fix more than 300 kilometres of federal roads in the State.
The Commissioner for Works, Mr. Funkekeme Solomon, who disclosed this at the 21st National Council of Works holding in Asaba, said the federal roads include the 149-kilometre Asaba – Ughelli road, which the State government is making into a dual-carriage.
Solomon said the State government has already sent the bill to the federal government for a refund so that it could have more money to fund other major road projects.
He said government alone could no longer bear the high cost of maintaining and constructing roads, and therefore was seeking collaboration with other stakeholders in the sector.
He said the Emmanuel Uduaghan government in Delta State has constructed 2,000 kilometres of roads and drains. Of this figure Solomon said 345 kilometres of urban roads have been completed, while 152 kilometres were ongoing.
He said the government has spent N62bn on 167 kilometres of completed rural roads, while 202 kilometres costing N47bn were ongoing.
The commissioner said under the government’s highways programme, 659 kilometres of roads have been completed while 265 kilometres were still under construction.
He added that N16.8bn was spent on the 17 bridges that have been completed while N23.7bn was being spent on the 23 ongoing bridges.
He also disclosed that the two flyovers government was constructing in Asaba and Warri is costing N7.7bn and they would be ready for inauguration in December this year. A third flyover bridge in Warri, he said, was being constructed for N3.6bn.
Pointing out that the Asaba international airport remains a landmark project of the state government, the commissioner said the Osubi airport in Warri was being expanded to meet growing needs.
The council, which comes to a close on Friday will consider implementation reports of the 20th council held at Ilorin, Kwara State last year and take papers from various stakeholders in the works industry.

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