[dropcap]M[/dropcap]embers of the Delta State House of Assembly committee on Works  expressed sadness over the nature of shoddy job done by the contractor, Deux Nig. Ltd, which handled the Direct Labour Agency Road in Asaba, the Delta state capital. The road which has been one of the busiest roads in Asaba, connecting Summit road through to the Ibusa road down to the main Ogbeogonogo market, has been a nightmare to residents and other road users for business transaction in that part of Asaba.

However, the road has broken into bits and loaded with army of potholes, making it extremely difficult for vehicle owners to navigate through the road from one end to the other. The road is worse during the rains when flood usually covers the road, cutting off business along the road and making vehicular movement along the road a dangerous venture.

Drivers and tricycle users usually flow in the flood when the rains and the erosion is usually thick from May to October during which the rains cover the road, making it impassable. Drivers do gallop through the road as a result of the potholes which are usually covered by flood. This makes many of the residents cry to the state government for help so as to make their business accessible to the people of Delta state.

However, despite the failure of the contractor to execute the contract and make the road available for use, the contractors on Wednesday told the house of assembly investigation committee that it has completed 80 percent of the road leaving 20 percent to be done.

The project director and co-owner of the firm, Walter Olatunde, told the committee his company left DLA road in 2014, having done 98% of drainage, 54% binding course, 38% wearing course, but deteriorated due to the heavy rains. Olatunde who told the committee that roads are constructed to last for 10 years, said the continuous rainfall left the road submerged under heavy flood coupled with constant vehicular movement.

He agreed that DLA was the worst road in Asaba, coupled with the tough rainfall evident in the state and a major constraint of linking the drainage to a discharge point at Jesus Saves road which was completely outside of their contract scope.

Olatunde, who said his company has worked and still working in Lagos, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and other states, regretted the state of the road, adding that if the contract is re-activated, his company would not abandon the project. But the house committee led by Evans Iwurie, representing Ethiope east in the state house of assembly, expressed sadness over the state of the road, saying: “It was one of our sadest moments when we visited the road. We said Deux can’t do this to us. We are not pleased with the state of DLA.

“Over N3billion has been spent, there have been series of interventions on the road. Road that tax payers money has been expended. The committee frowns at the job done by Deux in Asaba, we are not happy.”

[dropcap]I[/dropcap]n its bid to continuously ensure safety on the inland waterways, the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) has distributed over 1,500 Life Jackets to ferry operators, passengers and riverine communities across the state. Speaking to journalists at the weekend, Managing Director of LASWA, Mr. Damilola Emmanuel, said the Authority has intensified campaign to emphasise the use of Life Jackets by all waterways users.

He said the 1,500 life jackets were distributed within 2017 and January 2018, adding that more would be distributed in the course of the year however urging passengers to insist on life jackets before embarking on any journey on the water.

He said aside the donation of life jackets, the Authority has also embarked on sensitization at various state-owned jetties whilst also using electronic media to emphasize on safety measures to be adhered to by all waterways users.

The LASWA Boss added that to improve safety on the waterways, the Authority with relevant Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) is currently planning and working towards establishing an Emergency and Response Unit for the Inland waterways.

He said the Emergency and Response Unit collaborate with the LASWA patrol team to respond to emergency cases on the waterways, while reminding ferry operators to continue to strictly comply with safety guidelines.

“The Lagos State Government in its drive to promote a multi-modal transport system, especially the movement of passengers, goods and services on its waterways, will under no circumstances compromise safety standards and the protection of lives and property. As such we restate our commitment to the promotion of all safety measures and ensure that all operators comply with all safety standards in line with global best practices.

“Once again, the Authority will like to urge all waterways users to always wear their life jackets and report any issues immediately to the Authority or Marine Police as we continue to work to ensure a safe, clean and prosperous inland waterways,” Emmanuel said.

[dropcap]P[/dropcap]andemonium broke out, on Tuesday, at the agrarian community of Onicha-Olona in Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State where irate mob set a police station ablaze. The action of the mob was in reaction to the death of a middle-aged motorcycle operator who was alleged killed by a trigger-happy police officer.

The police officer was alleged to have demanded N100.00 from the deceased commercial motorcyclist at a check point along Issele-Uku/Mkpitime road. But the motorcyclist, it was gathered, refused, hence the police officer allegedly opened fire on him at close range, and the impact led to instant death.

An eye witness told Grassroots Publishers that the police officer hit the okada man with the butt of the gun on his head, a development which led to the instant death of the okada rider.As at the time of filing this report, there is pandemonium in Onicha Olona as irate youths mobilised and pounced on the community police station and razed it down.

It was also learnt that in the process of protesting, one of the protesters was also shot  and was rushed to the hospital in Issele Uku for treatment.  In a swift reaction, the Delta state police public relations officer downplayed the ungodly action and he said investigation has not been carried out to prove that the officer was the one that actually killed the okada rider. He said gone are the days of people taking laws into their hands and carrying out jungle justice.He added that the burnt police station was built by community effort and it was criminal of the youths to have razed the police station in the community.

[dropcap]G[/dropcap]overnor  Yahaya Bello of Kogi State yesterday  presented documents of 15, 000 hectares of land earmarked for cattle colony to the Federal Government.Presenting the acceptance document to Agriculture Minister, Audu Ogbeh, Bello said the state would pilot the cattle colony programme.

The governor said that 15,000 hectares of land have been mapped out in two local government areas of the state for cattle colony. Bello said 10,000 hectares of land had been earmarked for cattle colony in Ajaokuta Local Government Area and 5,000 hectares in Adavi Local Government Area.

According to him, the quest to key into the programme was to accommodate the youth, herdsmen and farmers without conflicts and add value to the economic wellbeing of the people.

The governor said the state and its people were ready to ensure the success of the initiative. He explained that the state government would gradually pay compensation to citizens that donated their land for the programme.

According to him, the state has budgeted sufficient fund to ensure the smooth take-off of the programme in the areas of security and equipment.

Ogbeh commended the state government for keying into the cattle colony initiative stating that the country currently has an estimated 19.5 million cows.“This is about courage. We have an estimated population of 19.5 million cattle now. If we have every individual keeping a ranch, it is an average population of 300 cows per herd. We need 1,711 ranches in every state, and 633,333 ranches in the country.

“The land belongs to states under the Land Use Act and we don’t have any intention to colonise them.“I do hope that when the programme works, other states will key in,” the minister said. On debates that cattle business is private and should not gain government’s support, Ogbeh said the government had also supported crops production in the country.

According to him, cattle contribute six per cent to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 5, Rasheed Akintunde, says only 20 per cent of policemen are engaged in protecting lives and ensuring peace in the country.
Akintunde said: “The remaining 80 per cent are just busy providing personal security to some ‘prominent people’ on guard duties.”
Akintunde said this on Thursday while addressing officers and men of the Police Headquarters in Bayelsa, during his tour. He decried the situation where some prominent people in the society seek more than 30 policemen to protect them, while the bulk of work for the members of the force rest on protecting the masses.
He said: “Every big man wants personal security; they want a number of policemen to come and secure them and their family members, instead of supporting the police to work and ensure a safer environment.
“Honourable members want police security, even Reverend Fathers, Bishops now want police security, so the remaining 20 per cent police the whole country.
“If we can redistribute policemen from some government formations and deploy them to work on their core duty, it will yield positive result.’’
The AIG, however, urged all the officers in the command to be on their toes and be committed to their duties.
He also reminded them of the need to do their jobs with integrity and exhibit high level of professionalism in order to create good image for the force.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Don Awunah, while welcoming the AIG, promised to ensure that the officers and men of the command remained focus on their duty of protecting lives and maintaining law and order in the state.