By Kevin Okunzuwa.
Expectedly, every responsible state government among other responsibilities, is to provide its citizens platforms for socioeconomic development.
In doing so, the state's infrastructure should be strong to support the yearnings and aspirations of the people that will ultimately bring about desired prosperity for both the state and the citizens.
However, in the last couple of years, states seemed to have been grappling with fulfilling this aspect of its responsibility, leading to sense of despondency on the part of the people, lack of trust and their losing faith in governance.
Management experts have said that government's dwindling resources, lack of political will and expertise have been found to be responsible for this slow pace of development.
They explained that only political leaders with genuine intention to bring development to the door steps of the people have thought outside of the box in fulfilment of government's responsibility of protecting, serving and providing the people with the desired sustainable growth and development.
The experts argued that absolute partnership in the form of public private partnership(PPP) on the part of any state government will certainly bring development to the people.
However with the growing population, coupled with the needs for development in other areas, governments have been found wanting from effectively providing all the
INFRASTRUCTURAL NEEDS of THE PEOPLE.
These experts said governments all over the world in this new dispensation, now cooperate with the private sectors in the provision and management of infrastructural facilities in their respective countries and states.
The experts have called this kind of contractual arrangement as Public Private Partnership (PPP).
According to research, Public Private Partnership (PPP) is a collaboration of the public and private sectors in the financing and development of public goods and services (agriculture, communication, infrastructure etc).
This phenomenon has been globally seen by many as the new economic paradigm. Experts hold the strong belief that PPP is the key policy instrument that is being used to transform public services.
It is no wonder Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki , a technocrat and living up to his given sobrriquet as the wake and see governor, embraced the PPP instrument to ensure that the more then 30 years socioeconomic slavery inhabitants of two Local Government Areas, Ovia North-East and Ikpoba Okha, Is broken with the flag off of the 16.7km Ikpako-Ajoki road project on February, 10, 2022.
In his address, Governor Obaseki described the road project as historic,saying it would be completed on time. He said “We are making history not just because we are constructing another road; we’ve constructed so many roads in Edo, but this road is special.
“This road is very unique in terms of the way we conceived it and it gives us hope,’ he said.
According to the governor, this road is a joint venture, it’s a collaboration between Edo government, Edo State Oil and Gas Producing Areas Development Commission (EDSOGPADEC) and ENAGEED, a subsidiary of Sahara company, in partnership with NNPC.
” Edo state and EDSOGPADEC are contributing 30 per cent each while ENAGEED is bringing 40 per cent.”
On the uniqueness of the road project Obaseki said “it’s not just the monetary part, it’s the way we have come together in securing the contract for the road.
” it shows that the way we procure project in Edo is of International standard because it meets with the same standard NNPC uses in procuring their infrastructure.
“Why this is project is important to us and me personally, is that we tried to this same method last year or two years ago with Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) for the Benin-Abraka road.
‘We proposed the same financing agreement, we established bank accounts, signed agreement but NDDC failed us.
“So it made us loose hope and we didn’t believe that this kind of structure can work; but are happy now that it is working with NNPC and its partners on the same financing structure.
“And flagging off this road today and with the money for this road already in the bank gives us lots of hope and courage.
“Before now, bulk of infrastructural development was done by government but today you can see that we are creating innovative ways in partnering with private sector and the federal government to create infrastructure. "
According to the governor, “Before now we used to suffer the embarrassment of accessing Edo communities from Delta.
“This road will now ensure that our people can access all the Edo communities in this region. This road is going to be an economic road because it is connecting oil producing communities and will improve oil producing activities.
“Not just the the communities but the activities that this project brings. We are likely to see a road that will now begin to bring in more than just agricultural produce,; it will also bring in oil producing products particularly gas.
“This is just the beginning, the best is yet to come,; let me assure all the communities in this environment that we have already started the design of the road from Gelegele to join Ekewan road to Benin.
“We are going to accelerate that work because of this one so that you will not have challenges in coming to the city, ” he said.
He added that the design for the road to link Gelegele, Ikpako, Ughoton and Ugbine communities through Ekenwan to Benin City has been completed by the state government.
On his part, chairman of .EDSOGPADEC, Pastor Kennedy Osifo, assured the people of the communities of delivery of quality and durable project that would meet international standards.
He noted that the road project was special because it would free the people from economic slavery.
” The Ikpako-Ajoki road will open up economic activities in the two local government areas, it will also eliminate the double taxation being paid to the two states when coming to any community within Edo state,” he said.
The Permanent Secretary ministry of Roads and Bridges, Engr. Enabulele Ferguson, assured the people of the completion of the Ikpako-Ajoki project, in 2024 as scheduled .saying ” this project is cash backed and in this year’s budget.
“Its not an ordinary project because of the swampy nature of the terrain," saying that because of the partnership, a project management committee comprising Engineers from his ministry, EDOSOPADEC and ENAGEED completed a management service document under the PPP agreement to ensure quality, standard and durable road for the people. ”I can assure you that in the first quarter of this year, the clearing will be completed while the second quarter will be about accelerated construction of the culvert and majority of concrete works because the rain usually sets in early in these areas.
”These are things we have factored into our design review and these aspects can only be done when the road is cleared and the issue of alignment is properly situated.
“But we are optimistic that we will keep to the plan because this project is already being accommodated in this year’s budget," he said.
Group Managing Director of NNPC, Mele Nkyari, in his address, also expressed optimism of the partnership delivering a world class road project. ”i grew up here and and started with NNPC in Benin. I have personally worked around these areas acquiring seismic data and am very familiar with these places and the challenges here.
“I can confirm that this road should have come 30 years ago. It’s not here. But we are happy that it is now here because of the partnership with the state government, NNPC and our partner, ENAGEED. ” We will make this work beacuse it is our responsibility to bring support to areas we work and to bring about national development for the benefit of all us," he said.
The Executive Director, Sahara Group, Mr Temitope Shonubi, said the road construction would attract development and investment to the communities. “Today, we are celebrating the dawn of new opportunities, and it is important to also note that the road is not to promote accessibility only but to join communities together and bring development to the area in a sustainable manner,” he said.
Shonubi said Sahara had, in a bid to boost power supply in Ajoki, launched the rural electrification project, an innovative initiative focused on supplying electricity to the community through the conversion of flared gas from the flow station into power using a gas-powered generator.
He said in addition to a reduction in the amount of gas flared in the environment, a new source of clean energy would be provided, directly powering thousands of beneficiaries, including businesses, hospitals, schools, and households in the Ajoki community.
"Sahara Group continues to leverage its robust stakeholder relations and collaboration to positively impact communities where we operate and help create ecosystems that supports shared prosperity through sustainable interventions", he added.
Repesentatives of the benefitting communities Mr Emmanuel Uwagboe, from Obateru community, and Mr Collins Ogbeide from Evbuorokho thanked the state government and its partners for the gesture, saying, it will open up the areas to meaningful development.
Flowing from the technically sound analogies the partners have explained of the design after careful research and planning that now constitute management service document, it is hoped that certainly, the best is yet to come for the peaceful inhabitants of the agrarian and fishing communities of Ovia North-East and Ikpoba -Okha LGAs.
***Kevin Okunzuwa is the Head News Agency of Nigeria, Benin office. He writes from Benin.***
#SPARKNEWSNAIJA(SNN).
+2348180442222(WhatsApp only)
Comments
Post a Comment