The Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs has announced that a fresh contract valued at N43 billion would soon be awarded for the reconstruction of the Eleme Junction to Onne Junction stretch of the East-West road.

Disclosing this yesterday during an inspection of the East-West Road project at Akpajo-Eleme, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Dr Steve Oru, also stated that 79.4 percent of the on-going projects had been completed.

The Eleme junction -Onne Junction stretch is the most dreaded section of the East-West road.

Speaking on the plan to reconstruct the part he identified as Point 00, Oru said the stretch, about 15 kilometres in length, was not part of the original contract of the East-West Road project because it was in good shape then.

The minister identified Reynolds Construction Company (RCC) as the favourite contractors to undertake the proposed project, citing the fact that they are the company working on the section three of the existing project.

On why the project, which he said might last 20 months to complete would gulp N43 billion, the minister said factors like the terrain of the area, the bridges and interchanges make it capital-intensive.

The minister also inspected other sections of the road such as the ongoing construction of the second Patani Bridge and the Kaiama Bridge.

He also stopped over at the Otuoke skills acquisition centre project in Ogbia council area, Gari processing plants in Otusega, Ogbia council area and Odi, Kolokuma/Opokuma council area in Bayelsa state.

Source: The Nation