By Unue Emeka,
Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, on Wednesday flagged off the N29.8 billion Aboh–Akarai Road and Bridge project in Ndokwa East Local Government Area, declaring that no community in the state would be abandoned because of difficult terrain or remoteness.
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, the governor said the 11-kilometre road project was part of his administration’s broader commitment to inclusive infrastructural development aimed at connecting riverine and rural communities to economic opportunities across the state.
Oborevwori disclosed that the project was conceived after the Deputy Governor, Monday Onyeme, attended a burial ceremony in Akarai and experienced the deplorable condition of the route firsthand.
“This particular project came to my attention after the Deputy Governor attended a burial ceremony in Akarai. It took him several hours to access the community, and upon his return, he appealed passionately for the approval of this road project,” the governor said.
“He told me that approving the road would mean touching lives in the rural communities, and I immediately assured him that the project would be done. Today, that promise has become a reality.”
The governor explained that the road, stretching from Aboh through Umuti to Akarai-Obodo and Akarai-Etiti, would be constructed with reinforced concrete pavement due to the swampy nature of the terrain, noting that asphalt would not withstand the environmental conditions.
According to him, the project will feature continuous reinforced concrete pavement, drainage systems, culverts, and a 140-metre multi-span bridge across the Okiri River, designed above the flood levels recorded during the devastating 2012 flood disaster to guarantee year-round accessibility.
Oborevwori described the project as a strategic economic intervention rather than “just bricks and mortar,” stressing that it would stimulate commerce, improve transportation, create jobs, and ease the movement of agricultural produce from rural communities to urban markets.
“For many years, residents of these communities have depended largely on river transportation. But with the completion of this road, things will change for the better. Farmers will transport their produce to markets faster, students will gain easier access to schools, patients will reach hospitals without stress, and families will remain connected even during the rainy season,” he stated.
The governor further revealed that the contractor had already been mobilised to the site with a 40 per cent advance payment of N11.9 billion, expressing confidence that the project would be completed within the scheduled 12-month timeline.
He also announced that the next major project to be flagged off by his administration would be the N32.8 billion Ojobo–Torugbene Road in Burutu Local Government Area.
In his remarks, Deputy Governor Onyeme described the project as a historic breakthrough for Ndokwa Nation, thanking Oborevwori for what he termed his unwavering commitment to the development of neglected communities.
“The vision that I once brought before you has today become a reality. On behalf of the entire Ndokwa Nation, we say a very big thank you,” Onyeme said, adding that Akarai community was witnessing a tarred road for the first time in its history.
Commissioner for Works (Highways and Urban Roads), Reuben Izeze, said the governor had continued to silence critics through the execution of massive infrastructural projects across the state, while Chairman of Ndokwa East Local Government Council, Vincent Oshilonya, noted that the road would significantly improve transportation, commerce, and livelihoods in the area.
Also speaking, President-General of Ndokwa Neku Union, Amaechi Asugwuni, alongside the Obi of Aboh Kingdom, Greg Oputa III, commended the governor for prioritising infrastructure development in Ndokwa Nation and opening up previously inaccessible communities to growth and investment.
