Road Construction: Rivers communities Lauds NDDC
Several Communities in Borikiri, Port Harcourt Local Government Area of Rivers State have expressed their gratitude to the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, for repairing six major streets in the area.
The contract for the repairs which covered Etche, Rumukwurushi, Ochiri, Andoni, Rex Lawson streets and its environs was awarded by the NDDC to Origyne company Ltd. And completed at the stipulated time has restored smiles and happiness to the people of Borikiri in the town axis of Port Harcourt.
Mr. Innocent Nwosu, a bus driver who covers Lagos Bus stop to Borikiri said “the road was so bad to the point that most drivers avoided the area “if you tell any driver that you are going to waterside, which is this area, nobody will carry you, instead we will drop you off and you will have to walk down,” he said.
Mr. Nwosu stated that, “drivers that dared to use the road ended up in mechanic workshops. We are very happy with NDDC for what they have done in Borikiri,” he said.
Mrs. Asimie Waribobele, a trader in the popular Owigiri market in Borikiri said “before the road was very bad, we will carry our goods and beg taxi drivers to carry us and you will wait for almost two hours waiting for taxi. Anyone that agrees will charge high fares. Even for people to come and buy was a problem because of the bad road. But today if you ask any driver to carry you, it’s like express, people now drive their cars to this market to buy goods.
She said people in the area thought that they were forgotten, because they had suffered for a long time. Today through the NDDC God has answered our prayers and everybody is now happy,” she said.
The contractor that handled the project, Hon. Daddy Kelvin Gigi, thanked the NDDC for its swift response to the distress calls of the people. He advised other contractors working for NDDC to justify payments made to them. “We must all know that we owe our people development of the region, so if someone is given a job and he doesn’t do it, he is depriving his people the benefits of development”
Hon. Gigi appealed to the Commission to encourage indigenous contractors from the region and trust them to deliver. He said “the NDDC should look at capable hands in the region and give them jobs rather than working on party lines.” He reaffirmed his support for the new board of the NDDC and prayed that they would lead the region to greater heights.
He noted that for the past 25 years, development had not come to Oluogboogbo community and expressed confidence that the Nsima Ekere-led administration of the NDDC will change the narrative.
He advised the Commission to set up a regulatory body for all contractors who collect jobs and don’t go to site. He said “until someone is used to set an example, all other contractors who take money and don’t deliver will not learn.”
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