Aware of the importance of the Asaba International Airport to the socio-economic life of the state, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has said that the early completion of the airport was very important to his administration.

Okowa stated this in Asaba while fielding questions from journalists during a quarterly interactive session with members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists in Asaba.

According to the Governor, his administration was committed to making the airport functional and of international standard, disclosing that the contractor handling the project had failed to meet the contractual deadline of delivering the project within the period of four months before it withdrew from continuing with the execution of the project.

“It is important that we realise that the state is bigger than any individual. We mounted a lot of pressure on the contractor handling the project. But with all that, the work was still very slow. We did a 50 percent mobilisation and the project is supposed to be completed within a period of four months,” he said, adding, “we made the mobilisation in October 2015 but, the job is less than 25 percent done and the contractor has pulled out.”

He continued: “We, as a government, have accepted the withdrawal of the contractor from executing the job in few months’ time. The job will be re-awarded to a credible contractor with a track record of project delivery.”

Okowa also disclosed that the Ministries of Works and that of Justice have invited the construction company to a meeting to know the situation with that of Maryam Babangida Way, stating that that road was important but his administration had not been able to do much on it to avoid legal issues with the contractor who was awarded the project before his assumption of office as Governor.

He stated that his administration had done a lot in terms of road construction, stating that more than 150 roads had been awarded with 60 completed and commissioned, while several others were at different stages of completion.

“A lot has been done in terms of road development, 151 roads have been awarded by this administration and about 60 completed. We have commissioned some and others are awaiting commissioning,” the Governor said, noting that a lot of road projects were being executed in different parts of the state, especially in the riverine communities like Burutu, Bomadi, Oporoza, Patani, Okerenkoko, Ogulagha, Obotobo, Sokebolo and Yokri, among others.

He also stated that the flooding in Asaba was being tackled through the construction of storm drains, disclosing that due to the multi-billion Naira nature of the projects which would take away flood waters from DLA, Jesus Saves, DBS, Uwechue, and Okpanam roads, the projects would be executed in phases.

Okowa used the occasion to express confidence in the ability of the state interventionist agency, the Direct Labour Agency in rehabilitating failed portions of roads in the state, saying that funds would be released to the agency for it to carry out its functions within the dry season.

•Photo by Bripin Enarusai shows Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa (2nd right) acknowledging shears from women during the presentation of Starter Parks to beneficiaries of the Delta State Women Empowerment Skill Acquition Programme by the office of the Executive Assistant to the Governor on Women Mobilization For Development in Asaba.

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