The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has said that it embarked on interventionist projects in Rivers State to ameliorate the plights of the people of the state.
Rivers State representative in the NDDC Board, Chief Tony Okocha, disclosed this on Thursday during the commissioning of the reconstructed Apara Link Road and Nkpolu Town Hall projects, all in Obio/Akpor local government area of the state.
Speaking on the import of the Apara Link Road, Okocha stated that businesses in the area shut down while residents found it difficult to access the area due to its dilapidated nature.
He also stated that the road was being nick-named ‘waterside road’ due to flooding of the road during rainy season.
While commending the present Board of the NDDC led by the chairman, Chiedu Ebie, and Samuel Ogbuku, the Rivers State representative announced the renaming of the road to Ezenwo Nyesom Wike Road.
Okocha said: “Today we have reconstructed this road, businesses are beginning to thrive. Businesses died on this road. People who had vehicles tried to navigate through other means to get to their homes. It was originally called Apara Link Road and I felt that it could be the name that may have caused all these troubles.
“So after the construction, we have agreed that this road that would be commissioned this afternoon by my own senior colleague, His Excellency Desmond Akawo, should now be called Chief Ezenwo Nyesom Wike Road.”
On the Nkpolu Town Hall, which is also an emergency project, Okocha informed that he was moved to initiate the project after a bad experience where he sought refuge at the hall when caught by rain last year but was rather drenched.
He lauded the contractor for the integrity in completing the project, and for his trust, pointing out that the NDDC does not give a dime for emergency projects.
Commissioning the Apara Link Road, former chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Ambassador Desmond Akawo, stated that the projects were a testament to the fact that the present NDDC was living to its mandate and described Okocha as the arrowhead of democracy in Rivers State.
Akawo said: “Let me tell you that today I am thrilled with the array of projects that is being commissioned in one day. This could have been stretched for days. This is a true confirmation that the NDDC that was actually regarded as an organization for contractual purposes only, is now truly an interventionist agency. You can imagine when a road which is supposed to be Apara Link Road is changed to waterside road because of flooding.
“Of course, our brother through the NDDC decided to intervene, that is really why NDDC is called interventionist agency. And today we can drive through this road, businesses can work again and I must commend you for renaming this road after our leader, a man who stands for democracy, a man who today has changed Abuja to be one of the best cities in Africa.
“A man who is still piloting the affairs of our people that democracy must stand after him. It is completely in place and I can agree with you that this is a better name to name a.place that has changed from one situation to what we have today.”
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