IBESIKPO – The Minister of Niger Delta, Dr Steve Oru, has re-assured Nigerians that the East-West road would be completed this year, saying the project was a top priority to the ministry.
Oru gave the assurance at Owot Uta in Ibesikpo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday.
“The East-West road is the flagship project of the Ministry of Niger Delta and my primary aim and focus is to ensure that it is completed by the end of 2014.
“By January 2015, the road must have been completed and put into use to facilitate economic activities in the region.
“My strategy towards ensuring the realisation of this project by the end of this year is to ensure that the contractors handling the job are all paid effectively so as to meet up with time.
“I have also assured the contractors handling the job that money will be released to them through PPP and SURE-P to facilitate the completion of the job,” he said.
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The minister said the ministry was established with the aim of providing rapid development in the Niger Delta region, adding that his administration would work to achieve that.
He said that part of his plans in the ministry was also to ensure effective human capital development and empowerment of the youth, through local and overseas training programmes.
He noted that Niger Delta youths no longer see criminality as a way of survival, adding that the ministry had a microfinance scheme which provided funds for small scale businesses.
“We have plans to work with various families in the region to inculcate positive orientation on their children so that they will be partners in the development of the region.
“We as a ministry have also pleaded with the people of the region to see the need to be good Nigerians who will be out to protect the developments in the region and to discourage vandalism.” (NAN)
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