Delta State Commissioner for Works (Highways and Urban Roads), Comrade Reuben Izeze, has assured that Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s six-lane Asaba Waterfront City project will not only transform the state capital’s landscape but also ease the pressure of skyrocketing house rents in Asaba.
Speaking during an inspection tour of the project on Tuesday, Izeze explained that the road, being executed under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) between the Delta State Government and North China Construction Company, will open up the Waterfront City and boost housing supply in the capital.
“With projects like this, simple economics will come into play as supply increases, demand pressure will ease, and rents will crash. We believe this will solve the problem of outrageous house rents in Asaba,” the Commissioner stated.
He added that the project would also help decongest the already overcrowded city centre while curbing the menace of illegal and temporary structures that had previously taken over the area.
“This place, about four years ago, was already turning into a shanty where all kinds of characters were putting up illegal structures. With this project, we are creating a completely new city that will ease the pressure on Asaba,” Izeze said.
On the quality of work done, the Works Commissioner expressed satisfaction with progress on the six-lane carriageway, which was first awarded by the previous administration but gained full momentum under Governor Sheriff Oborevwori.
“I have inspected this road about four times now, and I can say the quality of the structural work is reasonably good. Now that they are at the asphalting stage, I expect them to strictly adhere to the Bill of Engineering Measurement and Evaluation, particularly with the thickness and quality of asphalt applied,” he noted.
Izeze further commended the aesthetics of the project, describing it as “quite attractive to the eyes,” and urged the contractors to take advantage of the dry season to complete both the binder and friction courses so the road can be delivered for use.
