Delta spent N40b on federal roads – Commissioner

Chief Funkekeme Solomon, the Commissioner for Works in Delta State, says the state government has so far spent more than N40 billion on the reconstruction and maintenance of federal roads in the state.
Solomon, who disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria in Asaba, the state capital, said that the state government had yet to receive any refund from the Federal Government for the expenditure.
He, however, pledged that the state government would continue to rehabilitate federal roads in the state, as the roads were used mainly by the people of the state.
“When we work on the roads, whether state or federal, they facilitate our governor’s peace and security agenda because good roads help to check vandalism of equipment and amenities as well as other obnoxious activities by hoodlums,” he said.
Solomon did not identify the federal roads that were reconstructed but said that the bills on the projects accumulated from 2007 to date.
The commissioner, however, lamented that the execution of some projects in the state was being unduly delayed because of youth restiveness and other problems in some communities.
He said that community problems had also discouraged reputable companies, especially those in the construction industry, from accepting contracts from the state government.
“Restiveness by youths and unnecessary demands from communities by youths and even elders, create difficult conditions for contractors,” he said.
Solomon said that “high profile” contractors were not interested in contracts in the state, partly attributing this to the low price being paid by the state government on contracts.
He added: “This rate or price problem leads to variations, sometimes three times higher than the original contract value in the state, but efforts are underway in the ministry to review our contract rates and prices.”