East-West Road: Reconstruction Of Eleme Axis Must Not Be Cosmetic

Reynolds Construction Company Limited (RCC), the firm awarded the contract to reconstruct the Eleme axis of the East-West Road last week, mobilised men and equipment to site at the Trailer Park end of the road to commence work on the project. The move by RCC came barely a week after the minister of Works, David Umahi, inspected the road and disclosed that the sum of N33 billion had been released for the reconstruction of that section of the road covering a distance of 18 kilometres.
Coming many years after the road collapsed and subjected businesses and millions of people whose lives and livelihoods depended on the road to hardship, suffering and lamentations, news of the commencement of the project is indeed cheering. It has at least shown that the cries, losses and appeals of the people have not been in vain. And if the contractors and government keep to their terms of the contract, they should deliver a brand new durable six-lane road with two flyovers in a few years from now.
The affected section of the East-West Road, which runs from the Eleme Junction Interchange on the Port Harcourt – Aba expressway to Trailer Park Junction, Ejamah Ebubu, where there is a spur to the Federal Ocean Terminal and Onne Oil and Gas Free Zone, is one of the most vital roads in Nigeria. It leads to the second largest port complex in Nigeria at Onne, and the Eleme industrial hub, which hosts two of the nation’s petroleum refineries, two major international fertilizer plants, a naval college, several international institutions, oil producing facilities and petroleum distribution depots.
Just this year, the Nigerian Customs department has raised more than N250 billion from import duties and other charges under its purview from Onne. The industrial companies operating in the area make tens of billions of naira in profit and hundreds of billions in turnover every year. Their taxes to government at local, state and federal levels also run into billions of naira every year. The Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas complex in the Bonny Island, one of Nigeria’s most profitable companies is being linked by road using this road. It also connects the two states of Akwa Ibom and Cross River along with many local government areas of Rivers State.
It was therefore very surprising that despite its importance to the economy and unity of the country, the Eleme section of the East-West Road was allowed to deteriorate to the point where accidents, crash of articulated vehicles and deadly traffic jams became daily occurrence as the federal government refused to fix it. The losses suffered by companies and the people over the years can only be imagined.
Frustrated over the state of the road, two years ago, youths and civil society organisations from the area blocked the road for one week, to press their demands for the reconstruction of the road. The blockade led to heavy losses of man-hours and businesses at the ports and other areas. It was only called off after the then minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, promised that work would begin immediately. A few equipment were mobilised to site but after a few days, they were pulled out. For the two years that followed, the anguish of users of the road continued until Minister Umahi visited in the last week of September.
As commendable as the commencement of work is, it is important that both the contractors and the government take the project to its logical end, complete with the job specifications: full reconstruction, expansion of the road to six lanes and erection of flyovers at Trailer Park, Akpajo and Refinery Junctions.
Niger Deltans are not yet clapping as several promises have been made in the past with false starts that came to nothing. This should not be another deception. The N33 billion Umahi said was released for the project is only a part of the entire amount previously approved for that project. It is therefore, imperative that funds failure should not stop the project or subject it to unnecessary delay and variations common with public projects in Nigeria this time around.
Minister Umahi has promised that quality job will be delivered and he shall be held to his word. Now that he is aware that most roads are not built to last, understanding the importance of the Onne Axis portion to the wellbeing of Nigeria’s economy, the minister must in tune with his directors, ensure that only quality products and standard measures are applied in the construction of this road. This must not be another effort at politicising a project that is both dear to the country and has long deserved to be delivered.