Palmer Ogheneyole Nathaniel
There is unending jubilation and excitement in Ikpide-Irri community in Isoko South Local Government, Delta State, following the near-completion of the community’s internal roads project ongoing for nearly two years.
The project which was influenced to the community by a son of the community who was awarded by the Sen. Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa-led administration amidst commendation by the entire Isoko nation. The project is expected to be completed before the end of August.
Speaking to journalists recently at the project site, the Community Liason Officer, Mr. Favour Udeze, said the project experienced a slight delay in the completion due to the perennial flooding usually associated with the raining seasons. He said a total of 8 streets were designed for construction out of which 7 have been fully completed with the remaining one being worked on.
“I am very happy today that positive news regarding this project will soon be flying everywhere. I thank you journalists who came all the way from the city to see things for yourselves. This is one project very dear to the community as this is the first time internal roads has ever been built in this community.
“From here down to the town hall, all the roads have been completed with dual side drains. There is also a box culvert over there. When you look at the quality of this job and compare it with a similar road you drove on from our neighboring Trofani, you will agree with me that the quality of this job is superb. I have been here since this project started and I will be here till the final day, God willing”, he said.
On the media reports that the job was substandard, Udeze said, “I do not know where that insinuation came from. The only challenge we ever had since this project started was on the culvert that collapsed sometime ago. The question I will like to ask is this. If you are building a house and one morning on getting to the site you realized your septic tank has collapsed, does that make the entire project substandard?
“When the culvert collapsed, even the state government was aware. This one they reconstructed, the officials of the ministry of works came here to okay it. They tested it and confirmed that it was very okay and then gave the contractor the nod to continue. In the state Ministry of works, there is an engineer assigned to monitor the quality of this project. Other ministry officials come from time to time to check the quality of job done. The last person that came here was one Engr. Solomon Aghagba and he praised the job that is being done here. So, it is sad that what certain persons are writing in the social media is far from what we have here”, he said.
Continuing, “We were here working one day when Dr. Cairo Ojuogbo and his NDDC engineers came to check the Trofani road. They drove here to Ikpide and commended this job. This is the same Cairo that will cease any opportunity to embarrass this Okowa government. Cairo applauded the contractor and instructed the NDDC contractor to follow the standard Portplus laid with this project. Yet someone will say the job is substandard.
“We Ikpide people are happy with the job and our gratitude goes to the Governor and then to our son His Excellency Evang. Immanuel Emoefe who brough this development to the community.” He concluded.
A walk around the project will reveal the presence of various shades of heavy-duty machines stationed for the job, while sand filling and stone based works are ongoing on the remaining one road near completion. Residents who spoke to reporters were full of praise for the government and the initiator of the project.
