ODAHIEKWU OGUNDE, Yenagoa
The Bayelsa State Government has said that the swampy terrain of the state constitutes a major challenge to the construction of roads and other infrastructure in the state.
Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Mr Moses Teibowei, stated this on Wednesday while speaking on the progress so far recorded on the ongoing Yenagoa-Oporoma Road (also known as Bayelsa Central Senatorial Road) project.
He said the marshy nature of the environment was responsible for the high cost of infrastructure development in the state compared to other states, especially in the northern part of the country.
Teibowei also said the various stages of road construction in the state were difficult and required a lot of funds.
The Yenagoa-Oporoma Road project was conceived in 1960 to link communities in the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area with Yenagoa, the state capital, and had been on the drawing board before Bayelsa was carved out of the old Rivers State in October 1996.
At present, the resumed construction work on the road by the Governor Douye Diri-led administration has taken the road to Aguobiri where one of the major bridges is being built.
Teibowei, who explained that the construction work was segmented, said, “The span where we are now is at 15km level from Yenagoa and we are going additional 6.8km to Angiama where the 640meters bridge will be constructed across the River Nun. So we still have 6.8km, if you add it to 15km we are talking about 22km.
“The target is that the 6.8km across the Silver River (at Aguobiri) is what we intend to achieve. By the end of this year, we want to ensure that even if it (the span) is not asphalted, His Excellency will be able to drive to the point where the bridge will be constructed across the River Nun; and the foundation stone for the bridge will be laid to mark his second anniversary in office.”
Giving an insight into the different phases involved in road construction in Bayelsa, he said: “The truth of the matter is that our terrain is difficult in terms of road construction because our environment is what God gave to us compared to the north.
“Here, first and foremost, you have to clear the thick forest of palm trees and other big trees you meet. You are expected to remove the top soil. That is also additional work which you have to use heavy duty equipment. After that, you have to create a bond-wall. But if you are working in the north, you don’t need to bother yourself with anything like bond-wall.”
He further said that the current span of work would cost N1.5bn to get to get the road to Aguobiri and about N3bn for the Aguobiri Bridge at Silver River, while the 6.8km stretch would gulp N6bn and about N10bn for the 640 metre-bridge to cross the River Nun to Oporoma, headquarters of the Southern Ijaw LGA.
He, however, commended Igeibiri, Aguobiri and Angiama communities for their support and cooperation which had created a peaceful environment for workers to do their work and move the road project forward.