N222.1bn Approved By Rivers State's Governor For The Trans-Kalabari Road project.

Under the direction of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, the Rivers State Executive Council has accepted the contract for the Trans-Kalabari Road project, which has a large budget of N222.1 billion.

The Council, which included Prof. Ngozi Odu, Deputy Governor, among its members, met on Wednesday at Government House and made this decision.

Warisenibo Joseph Johnson, the commissioner for information and communications for Rivers State, made clear to reporters after the meeting that the initiative will be financed by money the state generates on its own.

“This is the main Trans-Kalabari Road. The one that had happened in the past, was building of bridges.

“But here, we are doing a Trans-Kalabari Road that is going to run from NSS Pathfinder immediately after Mgbuodohia Community and extends to about 2 KM to the Aker Base Road in Rumuolumeni Community in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area."

He continued: “That road will pass through the swamps behind the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education in Rumuolumeni, moving southwards towards the first bridge crossing. The road continues through a series of bridges. That road will run, connecting many communities up to Tombia Town.

“That project will be completed in 32 months, and we are paying from our Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). We are not going to be borrowing money for that project.

“That is about the third phase of us generating funds internally for our road projects without going anywhere to borrow money.”

Given the extremely challenging terrain of swamps and rivers that the Trans-Kalabari Road traverses—across which a number of bridges, decking, and piling works will be executed—the Information Commissioner claimed that the N222.1 billion contractual sum is greater than what is being spent on the ongoing Port Harcourt Ring Road project.