Residents laud resumption of work on Okpanam road project in Delta

The residents of Okpanam community in the Delta have lauded Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa for ensuring that work resumes on the Okpanam Road construction project.

Some members of the community told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that it came as a relief, particularly when they had thought that the contractor had abandoned the project.

They said that the importance of Okpanam road could not be overemphasised given the traffic and number of people residing in the area.

Solomon Adikanku, a trader in the area, said that the population of Okpanam was increasing on daily basis, adding that the pressure informed the huge traffic usually experienced, particularly in the early hours of the day.

According to him, civil servant and all classes of people now find their homes in the new Okpanma.

“We received with gladness the resumption of work on the road which was stopped last year. We thought the project has been abandoned.

“We thank our governor and the contractor for returning to site and it is our hope that more portion of the road will be covered now before the rains set in,” Adikanku said.

On her part, Mary Nnamdi, another resident, said that the situation was almost getting out of hand because of the dust from the uncompleted portion.

She thanked the governor for the good job, and urged him to prevail on the contractor to properly channel the drains to ensure free flow of water to avoid flooding.

“The contractor is working now and the dust are giving way because they spray water on the ground daily.

“I am sure that with the current tempo, if sustained, a reasonable portion of the road will be completed before the next raining season.

“Even now, the people of this area are already sighing a relief with the commencement of work and the usual traffic jams have disappeared, so we are happy,” Nnamdi said.

The Commissioner for Information, Patrick Ukah, had during the Ministerial Press Briefing in December 2016, assured that the contractor handling the various roads projects in the state would resume work on Jan. 5.

Ukah said that the contractor handling the Okpanam dualisation project would resume work and would pay attention to the completion of the drains to check flooding.

He also said that the various road projects were aimed at opening up access, evacuation of agricultural produce and free-flow of traffic across the state.

The commissioner assured that the current administration was committed to its electioneering promises to deliver prosperity to all.

He, however, urged support from all to enable the state government meet its obligations to the people.