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Shettima, Fubara Inaugurate 33.5km Elele-Egbeda-Omoku Dual Carriageway In Rivers
Vice President Kashim Shettima and Rivers State Governor, Mr. Siminalayi Fubara, on Thursday, inaugurated the newly constructed 33.5-kilometre Elele-Egbeda-Omoku dual carriageway, describing the landmark project as a major boost to connectivity and economic development in the state.
The dual carriageway, which traverses communities across Ikwerre, Emohua and Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Areas, is expected to ease transportation, improve the movement of goods and people, and stimulate economic activities along the corridor.
Shettima, who performed the official inauguration, commended the Rivers State Government for investing in infrastructure that expands the nation’s road network and creates greater economic opportunities for citizens.
According to the Vice President, roads remain “the most democratic instruments of development,” serving farmers taking produce to markets, traders seeking customers, workers travelling in search of employment, students going to school and patients seeking medical care.
He said the newly inaugurated road would further strengthen economic integration and improve access to opportunities for communities connected by the corridor.
Shettima recalled that the road being celebrated once stood as a warning rather than an invitation to commuters because of the deep gullies that made every journey a herculean task amidst security concerns.
He applauded Governor Fubara for the intervention made by his administration which has put the ugly memories people had of the road behind them.
He said that by transforming the once deplorable route into a modern dual carriageway, illuminated for safer movement by day and night, Governor Fubara has left an indelible mark in the hearts of the people of Rivers State.
In his address at the ceremony, Governor Fubara emphasised that the completion of the road has transformed a route previously plagued by avoidable man hour losses and insecurity into a fast and secure highway.
According to him, the Elele – Omoku Road is not just a signature project but an eloquent testimony of his administration’s love and care for the people of the State, describing it as a promise kept.
“For anybody who understands the nature of this road, they will appreciate what we have done here. It’s not just a project; it’s a statement that we have made to show our people that we care for you.
“We already know what normally happens on this road. It is a corridor for kidnap; it is also a very big corridor for bunkering. I’m very, very convinced that with what we have done today, those things will be things of the past. Security agencies can now operate effectively along this corridor,” he said.
Governor Fubara acknowledged that the delivery of the project would not have been possible without the support of the people in the communities along the route and thanked them for their unflinching support for his administration.
Fubara who expressed happiness at the presence of the Vice President at the inauguration ceremony, said it was a demonstration of the fact that Rivers State remains an integral part of Nigeria and that the country is standing by the state.
“For a long time, I felt that maybe, we’re not part of this country. But today, I feel very happy that our country is also standing by us.
“I feel happy and fulfilled that even in the face of all our trials, the face of all the ordeals that befell this administration, there are still positive things that people can see and look at and say: ‘Yes, you meant well for the people,” he said.
Earlier in his presentation, the State Commissioner for Works, Prof. Temple Nwofor, affirmed that the road project was delivered according to high engineering standards and specifications to ensure long-term structural integrity.
Nwofor stressed that the contract, awarded to Messrs Craneburg Construction Company on March 26, 2024, included 6 kilometers of drainage and a 99-meter long by 11-meter-wide bridge at the Ubimini axis, alongside full street lighting across the entire length of the highway.
“The basic specifics of this project is a total construction and rehabilitation of approximately 33.5 kilometers of road works with a width of 7.3 meters on both sides of the dual carriageway, an asphaltic binder course of 50mm, an asphaltic wearing course of 50mm, a concrete shoulder of 1.2 meters on both sides, and a concrete median of 1.4 meters”, he said.
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