Ministry, Lawmakers Divided Over East -West Road
By Kassim Omomia
The Fourteen- year- old and yet to be completed East – West road which links major states in the Niger Delta region may suffer further setback as members of the House Committee on Niger Delta Affairs and Ministry of Niger the country.
Construction of the said road began in 2006 and is still uncompleted.
The Senate members differ with the Niger Delta Ministry over why a chunk of 15bn should be earmarked for the road alone , leaving a miserable N4bn for other critical areas like youth empowerment, despite recent protests on bad governance in the country in the guise of EndSARs
While the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs led by the Minister, Senator Godswill Akpabio, appealed to the Committee during the 2021 budget defence that the road should be completed this time around by mobilizing funds from what has been proposed, the lawmakers are of the view that much of the 19 billion should be used essentially for youths and other empowerment programmes for vulnerable persons in the region to avert any resurgence of hostility and militancy in the region
The lawmakers argued that it is important for the political elites and those in government to underscore the statement of the EndSARs protest and begin to redress their issues by deploying legislative frameworks and other means to meaningfully engage the youths
Chairman of the Niger Delta Affairs Committee, Ekpenyong Essien Ayi, noted that like efforts made through some intervention , from borrowing from the African Development Bank, 13 percent derivation and various allocation to the Ministry over time, the East West Road ought to be completed by now
“We will not allow this. The East- West Rd has been there for 14 yrs now, if budget is less, how can we calm down the youths. How Can 4bn do the rest when almost 15bn is going to East West Rd”
“From 19bn, what are we doing with all other interventions, ADB, Min of Niger Delta, 13 percent derivation, what are they doing with all these?
He disclosed that there has been so much suspected intrigues in the project with all manner of suspicious variations for which the Committee demands ever detailed engineering plans, various variations. Youths empowerment programs, especially the proposed training and Listing of names for youths Programme for the training.
But speaking, the Minister assured that the youths wont come again” We are doing something” he said
On the East-West Road, he told the Committee that he wants to deliver a road that will last but that paucity of Funds was delaying the completion
“I want to deliver a road that will last. The funds seem not to be available. We will provide all the details. I have a lot of variations, but I have stepped it down because I want to see them myself.
He disclosed that construction of East -West road commenced since 2006 and that it has introduced two new bridges and an interchange.
According to him, ADB, Sure-p. Sovereign Wealth fund, have so far funded the road, with
about N354bn paid so far representing 80 percent so far paid.
He explained further that the rains and the COVID-19 pandemic has really impacted negatively on the completion of the road.
The Minister appealed to the lawmakers to spread the funds meaninfully so that the road can receive something tangible that can complete the road project
“We can spread the funds. Let’s close our eyes and do the road.” Akpabio further appealed
