Governor Diri Commences Nembe-Brass Road After 4 Decades

After over 4 decades of conceiving the construction of the Nembe/Brass road project without any tangible result, the Bayelsa state government has finally awarded the contract for the award for the construction of the all important 21km road project to Setraco Nigeria Limited.

The flaggoff for the construction of the road by the Minister for Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola witnessed celebration from stakeholders from the Nembe and Brass local government areas of the state.

The Works and Housing Minister, who was represented by the Director of Highways (South/South), Godwin Eke commended Gov. Douye Diri for reviving the construction of the road, stressing that his Ministry would partner with the Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC) as regards leveraging on the current tax credit scheme for the easying off of the project.

Speaking at the event, the Bayelsa state governor, Senator Douye Diri disclosed that his administration deemed it highly expedient to put an end to the age long sufferings of the people of Nembe and Brass local government areas of the state by awarding the contract for the construction of the road thereby saving them from the hands of sea piracy and other nefarious activities of criminals along the water ways of these areas.

Gov. Douye Diri expressed worries over the non-challant altitudes of some forces at the centre concerning the initiatives by his administration to involve the Nigeria Agip Oil company (NAOC) and the Federal Ministry Petroleum Resources in the tax credit scheme for the road project which led to a major setback of the project.

He also pointed out that the process that led to the award of the project was done transparently through competitive bidding which was eventually won by Setraco Nig. Ltd, assuring the people of the areas that his administration is determined to kick-start the construction of the project despite the dwindling economic resources accruable to the state.

Governor Diri Commences Nembe-Brass Road After 4 Decades

The Governor used the opportunity to emphasized the economic benefits that commuters along the road would reap from the road when completed with a multiplier effect on not only the local economy but the national one at large, calling on the youths of the areas to embrace the project as thier own and desist from actions that would negatively affect the project.

In his words ” this project is a legacy project that would impart positively on us all and our children. You will agree with me that the project had suffered several setbacks and that is why all the traditional rulers from the areas are all present here today. That shows the importance they attach to the project’.

One of the traditional rulers present at the occasion, the Amanyanabo of Nembe Kingdom, King Edmund Dakoru appreciated the effort of Gov. Douye Diri led administration for awarding the contract for the construction of the road, promising that Nembe kingdom would throw thier weight behind the completion of the project.

Earlier the state’s Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Eng. Moses Teibowei noted that the road would go a long way in attracting huge investment to the Brass Island, especially considering the economic free trade zone of the area which is capable of transforming the areas to vibrant economic hub in the country.