By Festus Ahon

ASABA—WORRIED by incessant cases of kidnap on Obior-Igbodo Road, Delta State, the government has moved to rehabilitate  bad portions of roads in the state to check the increased criminality on failed roads.

It will recalled that the late Obi of Ubulu-Uku, HRM Obi Akaeze Ofulue III, was abducted on January 5 at one of the failed portions on the Obior-Igbodo Road constructed by the past administration of Chief James Ibori to link communities in Aniocha North and Ika North-East but has been in a bad state in recent times.

Director-General of the state Direct Labour Agency, Mr Frank Enekorogha, whose agency is saddled with the responsibility of road maintenance in the state, said the agency will in the next one week rehabilitate the bad portions of the road, noting that the kidnap of the Ubulu-Uku monarch at a bad spot on the road was unfortunate and condemnable.

Enekorogha, who briefed newsmen on the new board’s 100 days in office, said: “Section 8 of the Delta State Direct Labour Agency Law 1999, stipulates, among others things, that the agency shall be saddled with the responsibility of rehabilitation of existing and failed roads, execute new roads and also maintain existing ones in the state.

“In compliance with the provision, the agency, on assumption of office, took a tour of some existing roads and captured 517 across the state. A total of 40 townships and link roads have so far been captured in these 100 days in Asaba, Agbor, Ughelli, Warri and environs.

“Of the 517 roads in the state, two percent represents roads that can be used without any intervention, 15 percent represents roads that need minor intervention and the rest represents roads that needs full intervention.”