Reps canvass completion of Oguta lake bridge project

The House of Representatives has urged the Niger Delta Development Commission to urgently review Oguta Lake bridge contract and allocate funds to it in the 2018 Budget.
This was sequel to a unanimous adoption of a motion by Hon. Opiah Nanah at plenary on Wednesday.
Moving the motion earlier, Nanah said that the famous Oguta Lake separated Oguta Ameshi town from other parts of Oguta Local Government Area of Imo.
He said that the lake created social and economic obstacles between the people of the area as ferries and canoes were their only sources of transportation.
Nanah said that the entire Orlu Senatorial District comprising 12 local government areas and adjoining Amorka, Uli, Ihiala and Onitsha in neighbouring Anambra were also affected.
He said that the difficulties experienced by users of that route, including Oguta Lake Hotels and Resorts Limited and Agro-Allied and Oil Companies operating in the area, constituted setback to economic development of the area.
According to him, NDDC had earlier awarded a contract for the construction of a bridge across the lake to link other parts of the state.
The lawmaker, however, said that due to some engineering design and valuation deficiency, the contract had been abandoned since 2010.
He said that the non-completion of the bridge had continued to increase the transportation burden of the Orlu Zone and parts of South-East and South-South zones.
After the adoption of the motion, Speaker of the house, Yakubu Dogara, mandated Committee on NDDC and its counterpart on Legislative Compliance to ensure compliance with the resolution.