The Delta Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads), Mr Charles Aniagwu, has said that the State Government handled a total of 912 projects with a total value of N886.9 billion between May 2015 and November 2023.
Aniagwu stated this on behalf of his counterpart in the ministry of Works (Highways and Urban), Mr Reuben Izeze, during the 2024 budget defence meeting with the State House of Assembly Committee on Works on Tuesday in Asaba.
”The projects include 2,146.45 kilometers of roads and 1,251.80 kilometers of drainage channels.
”The balance required to complete all the projects undertaken is N389.3 billion.
”It is noteworthy to mention that the ministry has projects in all the 25 local government areas of the State,” he said.
The commissioner also said that the ministry is proposing the sum of N150 billion for Capital Expenditure in 2024.
He added that the total Recurrent Expenditure proposal for the ministry was N595.4 billion as against N386.1 billion in the 2023 approved budget.
Aniagwu explained that the essence of the increment was to accommodate the proposed new minimum wage and that the fact that the ministry operates with two commissioners.
Aniagwu also said that the Capital budget proposal of the ministry had been deliberately channeled towards the completion of ongoing projects and actualisation of the ”MORE agenda” of the present administration.
According to him, the road projects embarked upon in the three senatorial districts of the State will be vigorously pursued to completion.
He, however, listed galloping inflation and steep decline in the value of naira, unpredictable construction season due to global warming and funding as major challenges faced by the ministry.
Responding, the Chairman of the Committee, Mr Oboro Preyor, said that the budget defence was geared towards transparency which would help to strengthen electioneering promises to the people of the State.
The Direct Labour Agency (DLA) also appeared before the committee to present its 2024 budget proposal.
The Director-General of the Agency, Mr Henry Emonena, told the committee that the agency is proposing the sum of N2 billion for the construction and maintenance of roads in the State.
The chairman of the committee, therefore, advised the agency to ensure that every fund allocated to it was judiciously used for the purpose such fund was meant for. (NAN). READ ALSO:
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