The Delta Government has blamed the slow pace of construction work on roads across the state on the rains but assured that work will resume in full after the season.
The Commissioner for Works, Chief James Augoye stated this while briefing newsmen on Monday in Asaba.
Augoye appealed to the Asaba-Ase-Abari community, which protested on Sunday, alleging that road construction work in the areas had been abandoned, to remain calm.
The commissioner assured them that contractors would return to site after the rains.
He said with the rains, earth work had become difficult, especially in the coastal communities such as the Asaba-Ase-Abari.
According to him, it is not true that the contractors have abandoned the road contract.
“The rainy season is here and we are facing lots of challenges, construction works are slowed down and it has become source of worries for the residents.
“I want to inform the demonstrators that the state government is in agreement with the contractors and the only works that can go on now is concrete works.
“I appeal to the community that the contractors will mobilise to site fully as soon as the rainy season is over,’’ the commissioner said.
Augoye said that presently government was trying to ensure the completion of storm water and surface drains in Asaba, Warri, Effurun, to facilitate free flow of flood waters to the rivers.
He assured people in the coastal communities that government designed roads projects in their areas would stand the test of time and urged them to ensure that contractors have peaceful environment to work.
The commissioner said that in order to permanently deal with the perennial flooding in the state capital, three rivers -Amilimocha, Iyiabi and Anwai had been approved for dredging.
According to Augoye, the state government is currently carrying out construction works on Ughelli-Asaba dual carriage way and also intervening on other federal highways across the state to enable the people move safely and freely.
“We want to appeal to our people to desist from building houses on waterways; this has been a major setbacks and reason why most cities, particularly, Asaba, Warri, Effurun among others are being flooded.’’
Also speaking, Mr Charles Aniagwu, the Commissioner for Information, said government would continue to partner the media in its efforts to develop the state.
According to him, the ministry of works has remained a booster to government efforts to develop the state through quality roads construction to open up the communities and boost their economic activities.
Aniagwu said although the state government had not got all the funds to meet its projects, it intervened on federal roads because the roads were important to the people of the state.
