Delta Declares War On Substandard Roads
By PAULINA NZERUBE
Delta Works Ministry Launches 2026 With Accountability Warnings
DELTA State’s Ministry of Works resumed operations for 2026 with a firm message: any project delivered below specification will be treated as a breach of public accountability, not a technical oversight.
Commissioner Reuben Izeze announced the government’s continued push for durable roads, linking delivery to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s MORE Agenda. But the tone of his address was unusually explicit: project compliance, schedule discipline, and team accountability are now non-negotiable conditions for ministry staff and contractors.
While the commissioner did not directly reference past contractor failures, his statement that BEME alignment and budgetary compliance would determine all project measurements is widely interpreted as a policy shield against inflated quantities, phantom project claims, and material dilution, which have plagued road contracts across several Nigerian states.
To strengthen transparency, the ministry confirmed the release of Certified True Copies (CTCs) of project specifications, BEME sheets, and presidential assent-style endorsement pages for public verification — an unprecedented move for a state works ministry. Although not judicial documents, the certification mimics legal CTC discipline, signalling that road integrity will now have a traceable procedural chain of custody.
Another major warning was directed internally. Izeze stated that absenteeism among engineers, without written authorisation from project heads, would not be tolerated. “A project loses credibility when its supervisors disappear from the site,” he said, echoing the legal doctrine that delay and silence can weaken even the strongest claim.
The meeting was attended by Permanent Secretary Juliet Aboloje and senior officials who confirmed that 2026 road delivery would prioritise drainage architecture, materials certification, measurement auditing, and project monitoring.
A transportation economist noted that if implemented as stated, Delta could shift from being another state with impressive road announcements to one with measurable infrastructure survival rates, potentially attracting new industrial investment and reducing rural isolation.
