By Mercy Obojeghren
Asaba, Nov. 9, 2020 Mr Emmanuel Sinebe, Chairman, Delta House of Assembly Committee on Asaba Capital Territory Development has called for standard infrastructure in the state capital.
Sinebe, representing Patani Constituency in the Assembly made the call during the 2021 budget defence meeting with officials of the Asaba Capital Territory Development Agency, on Monday in Asaba.
He said that members of the committee would embark on regular oversight to the agency in 2021to promote quality implementation of its programmes.
The lawmaker commended Mrs Onyemaechi Mrakpor, Director-General of the agency, and her team for their commitment, achievements and efforts of the state government to give the city a facelift.
He called for robust and cordial relationship with committee members and assured the agency of the support of the committee at all times.
Earlier, Mrakpor appealed for sustained collaboration between the legislature and her agency toward achieving more for the state.
She said that sequel to the budgetary allocation of N2.9 billion, as capital budget for the 2020 fiscal year, a good number of projects were executed by the agency between January and October
She disclosed that 28.91 kilometres of roads were completed, 26.89 kilometre roads were
ongoing while 52.62 kilometres roads were newly awarded.
“This brings the total length of the roads being handled by the agency in its mandate areas to 108.42 kilometres,’’ she said.
The director-general also said that besides the roads projects, six ”SMART Delta Foods, Farm Produce and Fruits Arena” were also constructed at various strategic locations in Asaba.
According to her, nine Green Areas are being developed and the agency is ready to construct more due to the increasing need to discourage hawking and unapproved trading in the capital city.
Mrakpor noted that N2.6 billion, which represents 89.6 per cent of overall budget performance for the period under review, was released to contractors in 2020.
She added that for 2021, the agency has been assigned N5.3 billion as the new allocation of capital spending limit, while N2.8 billion was appropriated to cover part of the its outstanding commitments, including completed and ongoing projects.