There was celebration in Nembe and Brass local government areas of Bayelsa State, yesterday as the long-awaited road project linking both riverine councils was flagged off by the Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, at Nembe.

The project, which is one of the three senatorial roads in the state, had been on the drawing board of successive administrations in the country from the colonial era in the 1940s.

The Governor Douye Diri administration, which made it one of its campaign promises to people of the area, revived the project with the first phase of 21km and 10 bridges awarded to Setraco Nigeria Limited for N54.1 billion.

The road when completed will open up the Brass Island, which has key national economic assets such as the Agip oil export terminal, the ongoing Brass Liquefied Natural Gas and the Brass Fertiliser and Petrochemical projects.

Fashola, who was represented by the Director of Highways (South South), Mr. Godwin Eke, commended Governor Diri for commencing the project.

He said his ministry will leverage on the government’s current tax credit scheme with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) to the advantage of the project.

He emphasized that road development was another way of delivering prosperity to the people and congratulated the state government on the strides achieved.

In his address, Diri said the road had suffered several setbacks but that his administration was determined to bring to an end the sufferings of the people of Nembe and Brass in the hands of sea pirates and kidnappers.

The governor lamented that steps initiated by his government to benefit from the Federal Government tax relief scheme through the Nigerian Agip Oil Company and the Federal Ministry of Petroleum were frustrated by some forces at the centre.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Mr. Moses Teibowei, said the road will attract large investment to the Brass Island, which had the potential of an economic free trade zone and transform the area to an economic and tourism hub of the state.

Also, the Deputy Managing Director of Setraco Nigeria Limited, Mr. Ziad Muonanse, thanked the governor for the confidence reposed in his company for construction of major roads in the state.

He assured that the company would deliver on the project to the highest of standards and within the stipulated time.

In a goodwill message, the Amanyanabo of Nembe, King Edmund Daukoru, expressed gratitude to Governor Diri for bringing to fusion a dream that had long been on their minds.

Also, the Amanyanabo of Opu-Nembe, King Josiah Biobelemoye, described Diri as a true reflection of a miracle to the people of Nembe Kingdom through the groundbreaking of the project.

The Amanyanabo of Twon-Brass and first Military Administrator of old Rivers State, King Alfred Diete-Spiff, commended the governor for working towards ending the pain of the people.