By Emma Amaize
WARRI—Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State, yesterday flagged off the construction of the N97 billion Koko-Ogheye Road in Warri North Local Government Area of the state.

Contract for the first phase of the project, estimated at N14.9 billion was awarded to Levant Construction Company by the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, whose Managing Director,  Mr. Chibuzor Ughoha was represented by the Commissioner, representing Delta State on board of the Commission, Chief Emmanuel Ogidi.

The project,  said to be important  to the Itsekiri ethnic nationality was flagged off, yesterday, by Governor Uduaghan. It marked the end of a 55-year dream by Itsekiri leaders to have a road linking Koko-Ogheye, connecting 80 percent of Itsekiri communities by road.

Before flagging off the road project, the Governor said  he wants to put it on record that it was the  former Managing Director of the NDDC, Mr. Timi Alaibe  that actually made sure the Koko-Ogheye Road was put in the NDDC budget and defended it before the National Assembly.

He said  the dualization of Koko-Ugbenu Road, was already on and part of his administration’s overall economic development plan since the Federal Government had approved an Export Free Trade zone for the state in Koko, the construction of Koko-Ogheye Road was part of his administration’s overall economic development plan.
An Itsekiri youth leader, Mr Omolubi Newuwumi, told Vanguard at Koko, yesterday, that when  Koko-Ogheye Road is completed, it would take only two hours for one to travel to Lagos from Delta State, while a trip from Calabar to Lagos, which takes 14 hours  would take just eight hours.