Warri/Uvwie Drainage Project Gets Additional N4.5bn for Expansion

By Omon-Julius Onabu

In a bid to step up the pace of work due flooding challenges, the Delta State Executive Council (EXCO) has approved more than N4.5 billion as additional sum to the over N9.5 billion towards the completion of the first two phases of Warri/Effurun and environs drainage project, which was recently expanded.

Chairman of the Warri/Uvwie and Environs Development Agency (WUEDA), Ovuozorie Macaulay, disclosed this while briefing newsmen on the resolution of Thursday’s EXCO meeting presided over by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, at the Government House Asaba.

Macaulay said that the additional funds would enable the contractors meet the targeted completion date of the Phase I and Phase II of the project designed to deflood much of the critical areas in communities in Warri South and Uvwie local government areas,within the jurisdiction of the WUEDA.

He disclosed that the upward review of the initial contract sum of over N9.5 billion for the two phases of the project was also to accommodate the addition of 15 new sites from Phase III and Phase IV to the ongoing 61 working sites under Phase I and Phase II.

Although, contracts for the Warri/Uvwie drainage project were awarded in January 2020, not much work could be accomplished last year because of the lockdown and other COVID-19 protocols, he noted, but added that one of the construction companies was still able to achieve about 50 per cent performance while the other managed about 40 per cent performance.

Macaulay said, “I am happy to report that one of the contractors, CCECC, has achieved 50 per cent of the initial contract while Levante has achieved a little over 40 per cent on its part, and the people of the affected areas are happy.

“I can tell you that, if you go to Warri now, there are lots of the area where we have already worked on, the people are very happy because there is no more flooding. The flooding in Enerhen Road and Enerhen Junction is now a thing of the past because the whole area has been taken care of.

“The whole of Ugbuwangue community is under water and the government at today’s meeting has also approved that the area should be taken care of. By this time next year, with sustained funding, the people of Ugbuwangue should heave a sigh of relief and be able to thank the governor for the critical intervention in the area.”

Earlier, the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, pointed out that scaling up of work on the Warri/Effurun drainage project, including construction work in Ugbuwangue community in Warri South as well as other approvals and decisions by the state EXCO, were intended to advance and deepen the ‘Stronger Delta’ agenda of the Okowa administration.

The commissioner, in company of the Director-General of WUEDA, Comrade Macaulay and the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Olisa Ifeajika, stated that other projects, including the Advanced Diagnostic Centre and the Mother and Child Medical Centre in Owa-Alero, Ika North-East Local Government Area, had received the green light for their speedy completion.

He said that the Council approved additional work and procurement that would make the medical centre a world-class facility, adding that the Ministry of Health had been directed to ensure that work on the facility was fast-tracked.

Aniagwu further stated that adjustments for the state’s participation in Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Anchor Borrowers Programme to get more Deltans to key into the agricultural programmes were also approved by the executive council.

Aniagwu said that the government also approved the appointment of Isaac Ajawhobu as the Odiologbo of Onogbokor Kingdom in Ndokwa East Local Government Area, adding that the government would proceed to present him with the staff of office after due endorsement by the state legislature.