Flyovers will Attract Investors, Rivers Govt

Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Paulinus Nsirim, has said that the multiple flyovers that the state government was erecting in Port Harcourt will ease traffic flow and attract investors to the state.

Nsirim spoke at a post State Executive Council press conference where he disclosed that government has awarded contracts for the construction of two new flyovers in Port Harcourt.

The commissioner said the approval for the two additional flyovers has given impetus to the urban renewal programme of the Nyesom Wike administration.

He said, “His excellency is the architect of the New Rivers Vision. He is unrelenting in designing these projects that will make Rivers State the destination of choice by putting the right infrastructure is put in place for our people and those who live and do business here.

“The Governor of Rivers state is desirous to make Rivers State a model of development, of infrastructure and economic prosperity. And today’s landmark decision by the state executive council underscores that point. That Rivers State is investors’ destination of choice.”

He disclosed that from March 1st, the State government will commence another phase of commissioning of more projects that cut across road infrastructure, health, sport and education.

The two new flyovers will cost the state government N12.4 billion. One of them at the Olu Obasanjo Road intersection on Aba Road will be 800 metres, while the second on the Olu Obasanjo Road intersection on Ikwerre Rioad will be one kilometer long.

According to the Commissioner for Works, Elloka Tasie-Amadi, the contrcats for the two flyovers were awarded to Julius Berger Nigeria PLC.

Tasie-Amadi said it is already observed that the flow of vehicles from the soon to be completed GRA flyover and the Rebisi flyover get into lock jams at the Waterlines Junction on Port Harcourt -Aba Expressway, but the flyover will be a solution.

He said, “At the Port Harcourt Aba Expressway intersection (Waterlines Junction) of Olu-Obasanjo Road, we observed that with the construction of Rebisi Flyover and the soon to be completed GRA flyover and Rumuola flyover, you’ll have a lot of traffic between those two points.

“Consequently we will have a bottleneck at that junction of Port Harcourt Aba Road Expressway and Olu-Obasanjo Road which we call Waterlines junction. So we proposed that to take care of that problem.

“This is aside from the fact that we have a lot of urban migration and higher vehicular activities in Port Harcourt.

“For the flyover that will be located at the intersection of Olu-Obasanjo Road, Ikwerre Road and Azikiwe Street, we also observed that the reconstruction going on Ikwerre Road and the higher number of vehicles and traffic jams observed over the years will get worse. So we thought it wise to construct a flyover now.”

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