DELTA STATE: UGHELLI-ASABA ROAD: UDUAGHAN SEEKS N45BN REFUND

By Kola Eke Ogiugo
Delta State governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan has again called on the federal government to refund the N45 billion spent on the dualisation of the Ughelli-Asaba Expressway.
Uduaghan, rather than wait endlessly for the federal government to award and execute deteriorating federal projects in the state believe in intervening with state government fund to bring the socio-economic benefits of the projects to the door steps of the people.
The governor is however unhappy that the federal government is yet to respond positively to his request. The governor has made several presentations to the federal government for reimbursement of the said N45 billion in respect of federal projects executed by the state.

Speaking to our correspondent in Asaba, the governor appealed to the minster of works, Arch Mike Onolememe, to assist the state in facilitating the request. Some unconfirmed sources said that the state is indebted to the tune of N60 billion, money expended for what was described as frivolous projects.
The 149-kilometre Ughelli-Asaba road dualisation project was awarded on
November 14, 2008 to three contracting firms at the cost of N44.7 billion.
The project is the most ambitious project ever embarked upon by any administration since the creation of the state.
The governor said the state has committed over N440 billion to the road sector since rehabilitation came on board in 2007. He said since his administration came on stream, over 1,618km of roads and 514km of bridges have been completed adding that in Asaba alone, over 65km road have been completed.
-Leadership.