The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has commenced the construction of internal roads in Issele-Mkpitime in Aniocha North Local Government area of Delta State.
Work on the roads commenced earlier this week with the contractor fully mobilized to site last week.
Cshowcasenews.com was at Issele-mkpitime on Friday 22nd January, 2020, for an on the spot assessment of the operation and discovered massive construction work has already started in earnest with the scrapping of the roads while survey work was also ongoing.
The 4km road which has been divided into two sections is being handled by two contractors with 2km allocated to each.
The first 2km stretch on which work has commenced, runs from the Idumu-Omo roundabout, through Umuonyimi, down to the old Nkwo Market by the roundabout, turning into St Lawrence Catholic Church Road within Ahaba Diei, passing through Abuano to Idumu-ozoma road, while joining and terminating at the Issele-Mkpitime/Onicha-Olona road, by Enuofu Primary School.
Speaking with cshowcasenews.com, the site Engineer, Engr. Elvis Igbenika expressed optimism of delivering the job within a period of three weeks, saying that the scope of the job included scrapping, sand filling, stone basing, asphalting as well as del-silting of the existing drains along the 2km road.
“We are in a hurry to deliver the job in line with specifications; it is a 2km road. We are paying hotel bills, house rent, equipment, paying feeding allowances and everything, so the earlier we finish the project, the better for us. We are going to do our best to ensure that the job is delivered, let say, in three weeks maximum,” the Site Engineer assured.
He described the people of Issele-Mkpitime as peaceful and friendly and said they have been getting maximum cooperation from the indigenes of the community since they mobilized to site.
He also noted that the Vice-President of the umbrella body of the Community, Issele-Mkpitime Federal Union, IMFU, Elder Solomon Ogboli, has continued to be a great source of help to them, even as he urged the people not to relent in their support and cooperation toward the completion of the project in record time.
Also in a chat with cshowcasenews.com, the President General, PG, Issele-Mkpitime Federal Union, Mr. Oge Okwuka, expressed great joy over the commencement of the project and said that it was a dream come true.
He narrated how it all started, stating that it was the result of a strategic expanded Executive Committee meeting of the immediate past IMFU administration, where it was resolved that the assistance of the NDDC should be sought for the construction of the internal roads which were in a deplorable situation.
Okwuka noted that the Union through the then President General, Mr. Achomuba Chukwudi put up a letter of appeal to the Distinguished Senator representing Delta North in the National Assembly, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, which he said was submitted through the help of one of the sons of the community, in early November 2019.
“At that meeting, we were discussing how to carry out palliative measures on our internal roads being ravaged by erosion, occasioned by massive flooding and I remember I suggested we write to NDDC telling them our situation and the suggestion was unanimously adopted which led to us putting up a letter of appeal.
“The letter was written through the office of the Distinguished Senator representing Delta North in the Senate and Chairman Senate Committee on Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi. We gave it to one of our brothers. He was the one that submitted and followed it up and from there, here is our success story we are having today; construction of our internal roads.
“I am overwhelmed because I am witnessing the construction of 4km of our internal roads; it gives me great joy that it is happening in my time and generation.
“My message to the Distinguished Senator Peter Nwaoboshi is that for him to remember Issele-Mkptime as one of the communities that fought and voted for him for two times, God Almighty will bless and keep him for us. As he has allowed himself to be used by God to bring about joy for the people of Issele-Mkpitime joy will not depart from him,” the PG prayed.
He commended the contractors for mobilizing to site without much delay and urged them to ensure they deliver a road that will stand the test of time, while assuring them of the continuous support and cooperation of the leadership of the IMFU and the entire people of Issele-Mkpitime towards delivering the project in a record time.
