Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has assured that the over 50km Port Harcourt Ring Road project will be completed and delivered by October this year.
Fubara also reaffirmed his determination to complete the project, recalling that his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, had expressed the desire that delivering the road would earn him the appreciation and gratitude of the people of the state.
The governor gave the assurance on Tuesday while speaking to journalists after inspecting the road project, which cuts across about five local government areas of the state.
According to him, the project is designed to ease traffic congestion within the Port Harcourt metropolis and adjoining communities.
Governor Fubara said the construction company handling the project, Julius Berger Nigeria Limited, has reaffirmed its commitment to meeting the delivery timeline, provided funding remains steady.
He assured that, despite prevailing challenges in the state, his administration would continue to make funds available to ensure uninterrupted progress on the project, in line with its commitment to the people of Rivers State.
“If you could remember, the project was supposed to be for about 36 months, and we felt we are already close to that 36 months. We needed to really confirm the level of progress the company has made.
“In the course of our discussion, they are still assuring us that by October they will deliver the project, and I strongly believe this promise I make to my people will be delivered. What they need is the funds, and from my own end is the push,” Governor Fubara said.
He described the Ring Road as a strategic infrastructure project, noting that it was conceived by his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, and remains central to the state’s long-term urban and economic development plan.
Fubara recalled that his predecessor had expressed the desire that completing the Port Harcourt Ring Road would earn him the appreciation and gratitude of Rivers people, adding that he was determined to fulfil that vision for the benefit of present and future generations.
“This project is very important considering the person who conceived it, my Oga, the Honourable Minister. He had a very big vision. He believed that if I achieved this project in record time, people would be happy with me.
“Notwithstanding whatever is happening, it is also my wish and my struggle to ensure that that wish comes through.
“So you can understand the importance of this project to us and to everyone who means well for our dear state,” he said.
Our correspondent reports that the Port Harcourt Ring Road project was flagged off for construction at the beginning of the Fubara administration, with a projected completion timeline of 36 months.
When completed, the road is expected to serve as a major bypass around the state capital, decongesting inner-city roads, improving access to industrial and residential zones, and enhancing the overall transportation network of Rivers State.