Posted by Udengs Eradiri, the Labour Party’s governorship candidate in Bayelsa State, has questioned state governor Douye Diri’s assertion that he spent N30 billion to complete the 10.2km phase two portion of the Glory Drive dual carriageway.
Eradiri was perplexed as to how the road project, which was nearly completed by former governor Henry Seriake Dickson, could still consume such a large sum of money.
He noted that although former governor Timipre Sylva completed the clearing portion of the project, his successor Dickson completed the sand-filling portion, with Diri just supposed to asphalt it.
The LP candidate, who spoke at his Yenagoa residence on Wednesday after visiting officials from the US Consulate-General led by the Political/Economic Section Chief, Mr. Mike Elvin, said the inference was that Diri spent N3 billion to build each kilometer of road.
Eradiri, who criticized Diri’s administration for lack of transparency and accountability, demanded that the governor reveal the exact cost of other projects he initiated in order to boost his electoral chances.
“Is this N30 billion part of the money that was spent from the beginning, or is this the money that they just used to tile that road?” Eradiri asked. That example, one kilometer costs N3 billion.
” There is a massive scam going on here.” Someone needs to explain to Bayelsans how you spent $30 billion on a ten-kilometer road that you did not sand-fill.
“Governor Dickson filled that road with sand.” I have serious reservations about spending that much money on the road. The governor should also tell us how much money was spent on each road. Because it appears that someone is not performing proper mathematics or that road construction is being used to syphon revenue in this state on purpose.
“Tell us, the Nembe-Brass road, how much money have you set aside?” How much money have you raised? When will it be completed, whether it is within your tenure or not?
“You tell us because projections are made in every project.” Something is fundamentally wrong when the governor tells us he spent N30 billion on a ten-kilometer road.
“So I have reservations, just as he must tell us how much he has spent on the Ekeremor road, so we know whether we are harboring political criminals or governors, and we want to know.”
“If you tell us you spent N30 billion there, we need to know how much you spent in Ekeremor for a road that was practically completed by the previous administration.” This clarification is required so that we know who we are dealing with. If we have someone wasting our resources, they should come and inform us.”
Eradiri remarked that some of the important roads that need be built to unlock the state’s economic potential had been poorly designed with single lanes.
“There must be accountability in Bayelsa because the funds that have come to the state are not commensurate to the projects,” he remarked.
“The road to Southern Ijaw is one lane; who builds one lane roads in this day and age?” The path to the Brass, with the possibilities of the Brass and the blue economy. It’s a single, very narrow lane.
“The Ekeremor road that is supposed to lead to Agge, the best port shoreline, is one narrow lane.” In my opinion, the governor should be forthright about the costs of all initiatives.”