The Minister of Works, Mr Mike Onolememen, on Wednesday inaugurated the dualisation of the 185.7-kilometre Sapele-Ewu road in Delta and Edo respectively.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the project was divided into two sections to be handled by different contractors.
Section one covers Sapele-Agbor in Delta while section two covers Agbor-Ewu in Edo at a total cost N112.8 billion.
The minister performed the flag off for the section one in Sapele, Delta and later performed that of section two at Igueben in Edo.
He said the 110.6-kilometre Sapele-Agbor road single carriageway would be dualised at the cost of N64.8 billion adding that the work would be completed in 30 months.
Onolememen added that the section two, which covered 75.1 kilometres from Agbor in Delta to Ewu in Edo, would be executed at a total cost of N47.9 billion and would be completed within 36 months.
The minister said that the contract for section one was awarded to CGC Nigeria Limited while section two was awarded to Setraco Nigeria limited since Dec. 2014.
According to him, the Sapele-Agbor road connects the South-South and the South-East geopolitical zones of the country.
“The project commences from Amukpe near Sapele and traverses Abraka, Obiaruku to terminate at the Benin-Asaba Expressway in Agbor in Delta.
“Complete dualisation of this road will reduce current traveling time, cost of vehicle maintenance and increase socio-economic activities of the communities along the alignment and other roads.”
He called on the State Government and all the communities to give the contractors maximum support to enable them to deliver on promises.
He also urged the people of the area to support President Goodluck Jonathan’s second term bid, to enable him to deliver these projects and many others.
Gov. Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta said the inauguration demonstrated how sensitive Mr President was to the yearlings and aspirations of Nigerians.
The governor, represented by Commissioner for Special Duties, Mr Austine Ayemidajor, said Peoples Democratic Party had built infrastructure and invested in health, education, agriculture, among others.
He, therefore, urged Nigerians to reciprocate Jonathan’s dedication to the cause of developing the country by voting for him for a second term in office.
He appealed to the minister to assist the people of Sapele by building a network of flyover at the Amukpe roundabout in order to reduce vehicular accidents.
The governor assured that the project would be protected and supported to ensure that the contractors delivered the work without hitches.
