…To review contract on section five of E-West road

By Chris Ochayi

ABUJA: The  Minister  of Niger Delta Affairs, Pastor Uguru Usani Uguru has disclosed that the  ministry  was  making  arrangements  with  an investor  to  establish  broadband  optic  fibre  telecommunication  systems  in  the states of the region  with a view to creating employment opportunities for the youths of the Niger Delta.

Pastor Uguru, who made the disclosure on the sideline of the Town Hall Meeting of the South-South Geopolitical Zone held in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, assured that the ministry was coming up with more incentives aimed to empower the unemployed youths in the area.

The minister, who assured on the determination of the government to complete all ongoing development projects in the region, however, appealed to the raging militant groups bombing oil and gas facilities in the region to lay down their arms and embrace window of dialogue offered by the government.

Pastor Uguru warned that, no meaningful development will be achieved under a crisis situation, expressed concerns that the militants’ activities in the region will continue to discourage foreign investors from the region.

He therefore advised  Niger Deltans  to  give  the  FG the  opportunity  to  develop  the  Niger  Delta  region  and  remove  political affiliation  from  developmental  issues.

On the flagship contract of the ministry, the  Minister  disclosed  that  the  contract  for  the  construction  of  Section  Five  of  the  East  West  Road ( Oron  to  Calabar)  will  be  reviewed  soon  with  the  contractor  before  commencement  of  work  on  the  project.

The  minister  explained  that  the review  was  necessitated  due  to  the  fact  that  the  contract  was  earlier   awarded  in  dollars  and a  need arose  to  do  something  on  the  alignment  of  the  road  for  economic  reasons.