The Delta State House of Assembly has passed a resolution calling on the Federal Government to immediately repair and reconstruct the Sapele-Agbor Ewu and Abraka-Ugo-Evboesi-Benin roads.
The resolution followed a motion to that effect, moved under matters of urgent public importance by the member representing Ethiope East Constituency, Honourable Evance Iwhurie and seconded by Honourable Sheriff Oborevwori, Okpe.
The house in the motion called on Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to as a matter of urgency urged President Muhammadu Buhari to direct the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, SAN to immediately move contractors to the sites to carry out repair works on the roads.
Honourable Iwhurie noted that the Abraka-Ugo-Evboes road was awarded by the last administration at the cost of thirty billion Naira in Febuary 2011 while the Sapele-Abraka-Agbor-Ewu dualization was awarded at the cost of one hundred and twelve point eight billion Naira in March 2015.
He said both roads were federal roads and have remained in a state of ruin, dilapidation, unmotorable and had been completely abandoned despite the flag off of for reconstruction and mobilization fees paid to the contractors.
Honourable Ivwwurie told the House that the two federal roads were of high economic importance as it connects over two hundred communities in the states with other States.
The Lawmaker said the present state of the roads had made life difficult for farmers, motorists and other road users hence the need for the immediate repair of the roads.
The motion was however amended by the member representing Ughelli South Constituency, Honourable Reuben Izeze to expunge the part that called on President Muhammadu Buhari to investigate the non completion and abandonment of the two roads and to ascertain monies released and actual amount paid to the contractors.
The lawmaker who represents Ughelli South, said the aspect was behold the legislative powers of the House.
Hon Izeze and two others, Honourable Emeka Nwaobi, Aniocha South and Honourable Daniel Yingi, Burutu 1, said it was the responsibility of the Federal government to fix federal roads stressing that the movement of goods and services including farm produce to other parts of the country was now very difficult because of the deplorable condition of the roads.
The Lawmakers noted that a lot of people will be thinking that the two roads were owed by the delta state government and would be wondering why the state government should abandoned the roads whereas they were federal roads.
They called for immediate work on the roads by the federal government.
In his contribution from the chair, the Speaker, Rt Hon Monday Igbuya regretted that many federal roads in the state were in a deplorable condition, including Sapele- Warri road, Sapele-Aghalokpe-Eku among others.
Hon Igbuya decried the high degree of neglect and stressed the need for federal government to rise up to its roads construction, rehabilitation and maintenance.
The motion was unanimously adopted.
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