Date Published: 10/16/11

Delta govt awards contracts for roads construction

The Delta Government has awarded contracts for the construction of roads leading to major farms and big markets in rural communities.

Chief Funkekeme Solomon, the Commissioner for Works, told the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) in Asaba on Sunday that the projects were to make the farms and markets accessible.

He explained that the lack of good roads had militated against the transportation of produce from the rural areas to the urban centres, while people in the cities found it difficult to go to the rural communities to buy their food items.

Solomon said the markets were located at Ume in PataniLocal Government Area; Illah, in Oshimili North;Ukwunzu-Ubulubu, in Aniocha North;while the farm was located at Mbiri, in Ika North East.

Describing the areas as “food baskets” of the state, he said government would ensure that the projects were completed before the next rainy season.

Solomon said traditional rulers and community leaders in the areas would be co-opted into the government’s monitoring teams on the projects, stressing that people should take interest in how projects in their areas were handled.

He added that the ministry had established a coordinating centre at its headquarters in Asaba, where it would be collating reports from the public on their observations concerning government projects in the state.

Solomon urged residents in the state to monitor and send reports to the ministry on observed lapses in the execution of projects.

``Very soon, we shall release to the public the telephone lines and electronic mail addresses to be used by people in reaching us for reports on projects.’’

The commissioner urged contractors handling road projects in the state to defend their integrity when such projects were being criticised.

``If a contractor is handling a project and people are saying that such project has been abandoned or does not exist, I think that it is proper for the contractor to speak up.

``The contractors should not leave the burden of clarification or defense on government alone. The contractor should rise and respond to such issues and put the facts down.’’

(NAN)