Delta state government has spent a whooping N79.9BN in the construction and rehabilitation of federal roads across the state since its creation in 1991, till date.
Commissioner for Works, Hon. Funkekeme Solomon disclosed this while briefing the committee members of Federal Government Ministerial Committee on Verification of Claims for reimbursement by state governments for works executed on federal roads.
Funkekeme said that the state had been involved in the construction and maintenance of federal roads across the state since its creation, adding that the initiatives were geared towards ensuring the safety of lives and properties of Deltans who are the road users.
He also revealed that the initiative would help to ensure effective partnership between the state and the federal government in enhancing transportation network in the country.
He said that the present administration of Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, in line with the three point agenda had embarked on the dualisation of five federal roads across the state to enhance the socio- economic lives of the citizenry, adding that the governor was interested in road development whether state or federal as it was the gateway to the transformation of the state.
Funkekeme lauded the federal government for the initiative to reimburse money spent on federal roads as the funds to be released would be utilised for further infrastructural development of the state.
He implored the team to carry out their assignment judiciously, saying that he believed the team would be pleased with the job on ground.
Responding, the Chairman of South-South Zone of the Verification Committee, Engr. Bola Aganaba, said that the team comprised of seasoned Civil Engineers from both public and private sector constituted by the Hon. Minister of Works to facilitate the payment of money to the states that carried out the maintenance and construction of federal roads.
He said that federal government was happy with the action taken by states in maintaining federal roads, adding that the reimbursement was an incentive and encouragement to the states and pleaded with the state government’s co-operation to extend their time for the verification dues to the number of roads to be verified in the state.
The team which comprised of seventeen members undertook a visit to Ughelli– Asaba Road Dualisation, Refinery Road, P.T.I- Osubi- Eku Road, Ugbenu – Koko Road Dualisation, as well as Agbor among other federal roads which the state government intervened.
