By Anne Azuka
Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, on Monday flagged off the construction of the N59.7 billion Agbor/Uromi Junction Flyover in Agbor, Ika South Local Government Area, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to safer roads and balanced development across the state.
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, Oborevwori said the Agbor/Uromi Junction Flyover was designed to address persistent traffic congestion and frequent accidents at the busy intersection, which he noted had resulted in loss of lives and property over the years.The governor explained that the junction’s location on a major federal highway, combined with heavy vehicular movement, motorcycles, and pedestrian traffic, made a permanent engineering solution unavoidable. He described the project as a critical intervention to improve road safety and support economic growth.
According to Oborevwori, the contract for the design and construction of the flyover has been awarded to Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, with a completion timeline of 14 months. He expressed confidence in the firm’s capacity to deliver the project to specification.The project includes a 1.3-kilometre flyover along the Uromi–Agbor Highway, dual carriageways with two lanes in each direction, ramps, roundabouts, concrete drainage systems, kerbs, and solar-powered streetlights to enhance safety and sustainability.
Oborevwori, who was accompanied by his deputy, Sir Monday Onyeme, and other top government officials, described the corridor as a strategic economic and transportation link connecting the Eastern and Western Niger Delta and serving as a gateway to Northern Nigeria.He said the importance of the route to national mobility and commerce could not be overstated, noting that it is a major passage for travellers and goods moving between Lagos, the East, and the West.The governor added that the Agbor/Uromi Junction Flyover would significantly reduce travel time, improve traffic flow, expand economic opportunities, and safeguard the lives of thousands of Nigerians who use the route daily.
He also highlighted the employment opportunities the project would create for engineers, artisans, labourers, transporters, food vendors, and others involved in the construction value chain.Reiterating his administration’s commitment to inclusive development, Oborevwori disclosed that the state government had injected N100 billion as a special intervention fund, allocating N4 billion each to the 25 local government areas for infrastructure projects, alongside other sectoral investments.
He noted that Ika South Local Government Area was benefiting from additional projects, including a N15.4 billion contract for 13.3 kilometres of concrete drainage and five kilometres of road construction to tackle flooding and erosion, as well as the proposed N12 billion, 15-kilometre Okpe–Abavo–Ekuku-Agbor Road.“ As a government, we award contracts strictly on merit and competence. Excellence will always attract further patronage,” the governor said, assuring residents that the flyover would be delivered on schedule.
Former Governor of Delta State, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, described the Agbor/Uromi Junction Flyover as a monumental project, praising Oborevwori for sustaining policy continuity and translating plans into tangible development. Other speakers at the event, including the Commissioner for Works (Highways and Urban Roads), Comrade Reuben Izeze, and representatives of Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, commended the project’s scope and pledged support for its timely and high-quality completion.
