..as Okowa presents 2020 Appropriations bill in October
By Festus Ahon
Delta State Government, yesterday said it cost her over N1 billion to rehabilitate degraded federal roads in the state, naming the roads to include; Benin-Sapele, Benin-Onitsha, and Agbor-Abraka-Eku.
The State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, who made the disclosure while briefing journalists after the State Executive Council meeting presided by the Deputy Governor, Mr. Kingsley Otuaro,
said the Federal Government’s approval for the State Government to rehabilitate the roads was received last Thursday.
Saying contractors have been mobilised to the spots, Aniagwu, who was in company with his Economic Planning counterpart, Dr. Barry Pere Gbe, said the State Government also approved the construction of some roads in the state, including the council approved the construction of 2.3 km Benekrukru road in Warri South West.
He said: “You are aware that commuters are facing a lot of hardship on the roads; it has become so difficult to enter Onitsha, because the road at the Asaba end of the bridge is very bad.
“The good news is that Federal Government has reached out to us to repair these roads and we are very optimistic that by the time we are done, the government will attend to us for the purpose of refunds.
“We are more concerned with the safety of our people and that is why we are committed to fixing these roads which will take more than N1 billion”.
Aniagwu said the State Government also approved Obi Frederick Egbankonye as the traditional ruler of Aballa Kingdom in Ndokwa East Local Government Area of the State.
Disclosing that 19 new technical colleges would be established across the state, he said that the approval was not only in line with fulfilling the campaign promises of the governor but for the consolidation of the successes recorded from the revamped technical schools in the state.
Speaking further, he said five camps for internally displaced persons was approved to be set up in Asaba, Kwale, Patani, Ozoro, and Ashaka so as to mitigate the impact of flood on Deltans who are living in coastal communities. He added that more than 10 camps would be set up depending on the impact of the impending flood on the people.
Meanwhile, the State Commissioner for Economic Planning, Mr. Barry Pere Gbe, said that the council has approved for Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to present the 2020 Appropriation Bill to the State House of Assembly in October.
According to him, the Fiscal Strategy Framework for the state was presented to the council at the meeting and that it discussed and approved.