Delta Governor, Okowa’s N30 Billion Drainage Project Collapses Over Use Of ‘Substandard Materials’
The project is at Edozie Okonkwo
A N30 billion stormwater drainage project executed by the Delta State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, in Asaba has collapsed following the use of substandard materials for the job.
The project is at Edozie Okonkwo Street, behind the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), and it was to control the devastating effects of stormwater, particularly in the state capital, Asaba.
The collapsed drainage is among the three storm projects embarked upon by the Okowa-led administration.
Okowa last year during a press conference said the state had released N11 billion out of the estimated N30 billion proposed by experts to control the devastating effects of stormwater.
The governor however envisaged that the state government would eventually spend more than the N30 billion on the construction of drains to evacuate floods during the rainy season, considering the N11 billion cost of three drainage projects out of the eight recommended to arrest the flood situation in Asaba.
He added that he heeded expert advice from bodies of engineers to take the bull by the horns in tackling the flood menace in the state.
Speaking with SaharaReporters on the dangers posed by the collapsed stormwater drain, residents lamented the negligence of the government towards the plight of the people living in the area.
They are scared that as the next rainy season approaches, their lives will be in more danger.
A resident who simply identified himself as Jude disclosed that the collapse happened in the last quarter of 2021, and landlords in the area, under the umbrella of Agu Progressive Union, sent two ‘Save Our Soul’ letters to the state governor through the state Ministry of Works (in charge of urban and highway roads).
However, nothing has been done to date, the resident said.
“The stormwater drainage project was done shabbily. The materials used were substandard. In Delta State, projects are not properly monitored because of kickbacks usually collected by staff members of the ministry to cover up for dubious contractors.
“There is serious corruption at the two works ministry – Urban and highway as well as Rural. The contractor clearly did not do a good job, he used substandard materials to execute the project. Thus, the present danger posed to lives and property in the area.
“It’s very disheartening that up till now, nothing has been done to fix the collapsed storm drainage in order to safeguard the lives and property of people as well as businesses of those living in the area, considering that the rainy season is almost here.
“Here in Delta State, the Okowa-led administration is known for the execution of substandard projects, especially roads. We have had a situation in the state where multi-billion-naira roads constructed by the Ifeanyi Okowa-led administration collapsed just six months after their inauguration. It’s a very unfortunate situation we found ourselves in in Delta State.”
When contacted, the state Commissioner for Works in charge of Urban Roads and Highway, Noel Omodon, said he was already working around the clock to fix the project.
“Just yesterday here, I had a meeting with a team of my engineers in my ministry, but I want to be sure all is ready to go back to that collapsed stormwater drainage project before I will draw the attention of the governor to it. So, we are already doing something before the next rainy season,” he said.
