The Rivers State government says it has committed over N300 billion into  contracts of over 900 km of road, bridges, drainages, shore protection, sand filling, markets and maintenance of other roads that have felled in the last three years.

Also, the government sympathised with the Nigeria Union of Journalists on the kidnap of four of its members, stating that “the government and Nigerians reject such bestiality and do not accept the security situation in Abia State.”

Commissioner for Works, Mr. Dakuku Peterside, told newsmen in Port Harcourt, last weekend, that the amount also involved the construction of federal roads in the state and those linking the state and neighbouring states as well as the completed and uncompleted projects.

Peterside announced that the efforts of the government in this direction had been hampered by the rains in the state, “which have made some of the contractors to suspend operation until September when the rains would have subsided.

“In the area of drainage it is not where we ought to be yet in spite of the challenges, however, we are making progress on all fronts and in spite of being located in the rain belt zone but all projects would be completed before the expiration of the tenure of this administration”.

He disclosed that the government was conscious of the menace of flood of the riverine towns, which was why the administration has committed so much funds in protecting the shores of Opobo, Buguma, Abalama, Queens Town, Egbomo and others.

Peterside said the government had not abandoned the construction of Trans-Kalabari Highway and that tenders for the construction had been made public, explaining that the interested people were being sifted “to make way for very qualified contractors that would do quality job.

The old contract for the road was terminated and we are still recovering money from those contractors which the government had paid and we shall go to court to recover the peoples money from contractors who breach contract”.