Senate Committee Inspects East-West Road, Queries Expenditure On Project

The East-West Road, which connects the South-South, South-East and western parts of the country, has remained in a bad state and uncompleted despite several attempts to complete the road.

The Senate ad hoc committee investigating the non-completion of the East-West Road, led by Senator Abdul Ningi, visited Delta State on Tuesday to inspect the road, raising concerns over expenditure on the project, among other issues.

The committee led by Senator Abdul Ningi is in Rivers State as part of its assessment to finding a lasting solution to the repair of the East/West road.

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The East-West Road, which connects the South-South, South-East and western parts of the country, has remained in a bad state and uncompleted despite several attempts to complete the road.

Worried about the trend, the Senate had constituted an ad hoc committee to investigate the non-completion of the road and find a possible solution to the lingering issue.

Conducting a fact-finding inspection at the Delta end of the East-West Road, the delegation promised to work on its findings to ensure the issues on the road are fixed once and for all.

They promised to investigate the monies appropriated and ensure they are accounted for.

The East-West Road is one of the strategic and critical road infrastructures which cut across the South-South geopolitical zone of the country occupying a central nerve.

However, the road has not received the attention it requires over time, occasioned by different factors delaying its completion, despite the huge resources that have been allocated to the project over the years.

Completely unhappy with this situation, the Senate ad hoc committee visited the Delta State axis of the road on a fact-finding mission.

First, they paid the Governor of Delta State, Sheriff Oborevwori, a courtesy visit at the Government House in Asaba, informing him of their mission in the state.

Speaking to the delegation, the governor underscored the importance of the East-West Road to the economic development of the oil-rich Niger Delta region, urging them to do all that is necessary to fix the problems on that road.

The delegation then proceeded to the Unweru Bridge along the East-West Road where one side of the bridge collapsed as a result of a 2022 flood.

Apart from the bridge, other sections of the road have also gone bad and would need to be fixed to make it easier for commuters.

For the delegation, the inspection exercise is a critical one which will prompt discussions with stakeholders on the way forward.

The importance of the East-West Road cannot be overemphasised as it has proved to be a strategic road in the Niger Delta region, aiding transportation and other economic activities.