NDDC hands over Polaku, Akenfa Bridge projects to Bayelsa govt

By Amgbare Prince, Yenagoa

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has handed over two of its uncompleted bridge projects in Bayelsa to the state government.

These bridges are located in Akenfa and Polaku, both of which are in Yenagoa local government area.

The Polaku bridge connects Yenagoa communities to Sabagreia in Kolokuma/Opokuma local government areas, and provides an alternative route to the state capital from the East-West Road.

This project was initiated by the late Melford Okilo government in Rivers State in 1982 and taken over by the NDDC in 2000, but remained stalled for several years.

The Akenfa bridge project, located across the Epie Creek, was also uncompleted for many years.

Governor Douye Diri’s administration approached the NDDC to take over these projects due to their strategic importance to the state, and now that the commission has paid off the contractors for work done, they have handed over the projects to the state government for completion.

During a courtesy visit to Government House, Yenagoa, the Managing Director of the NDDC, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, handed over documents on the projects to Governor Diri, stating that the state government now had the responsibility to ensure their completion.

Dr Ogbuku also mentioned that the commission was willing to collaborate with other partners such as the World Bank, Africa Development Bank, and the European Union to develop the region, and was seeking collaboration with the state government to deliver impactful projects to Bayelsa and other Niger Delta states.

Governor Diri expressed the need for the NDDC to collaborate with governors of the Niger Delta states on project execution and ensure equitable distribution of infrastructure.

He lent his support to the NDDC and its new board, and commended them for their efforts in leading the commission to greater heights.

However, he noted that the commission had yet to have a befitting permanent office in the state.

Governors of the region had taken the battle to the President for a substantive board, particularly after they were inaugurated as an advisory board of the NDDC.

Governor Diri expressed his appreciation to the president for listening to the cry of the people of the Niger Delta who had persistently requested for a substantive NDDC board.

Dr Ogbuku also hinted that President Muhammadu Buhari was expected to inaugurate the Ogbia-Nembe road, which the NDDC is in the process of offsetting the N2 billion owed Setraco, in the second week of May.