NDDC partners RCC to restore failed sections of East-West road

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) is partnering with the Reynolds Construction Company (RCC) to restore some failed sections of the East-West Road in Rivers State to reduce the pains of road users.

NDDC acting managing director, Dr Joi Nunieh, who inspected the Akpajo to Onne Junction axis of the road, said the commission would undertake an assessment of the Aleto Bridge in Eleme, along the route, with a view to saving it from collapse.

According to a statement issued on Friday by the Head, Corporate Affairs, Charles Odili, the NDDC boss said the commission was worried by the deplorable state of the road and had to make effort to avoid a situation where road users would be stuck for several hours because of the bad road.

“We appealed to the RCC to collaborate with us to address the emergency on many sections of the East-West road. They have graciously accepted to work on the bad spots to ease the pains of travellers during this Christmas season by ensuring that traffic does not build up on the road at this period.

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“They agreed to do it free of charge, as a way of supporting the next level NDDC 2020 agenda. We want to thank the management of RCC as they have assured us that they are going to start work immediately,” she said.

Nunieh enjoined other construction companies to enter into partnership with NDDC, to contribute to the development of the Niger Delta to make the region better, stating that development was not just about awarding contracts.

At the Aleto Bridge in Eleme, the NDDC boss said the commission would intervene urgently to avoid a disaster, adding “I have directed our engineers to quickly assess the problem to come up with a design for the repairs.

“This is truly a tragedy and accident waiting to happen. We need to do something urgently to avert the looming disaster.”

She, therefore, appealed to people in the area to stop dredging activities close to the bridge to save it from erosion which was threatening the integrity of the bridge.