COMBINE OR SUSPEND THE COMMISSIONING OF GRA FLYOVER TO SAVE COSTS; GROUP TELLS RIVERS STATE GOVERNMENT

The Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC), a nongovernmental organization in Rivers State has called on the Rivers State Government to combine the commissioning of the GRA flyover with that of Rumuola since they are in close proximity to each other to save costs. The organization also alternatively advised the government not to waste resources commissioning the GRA flyover for now since it is leading to nowhere as the construction of the Waterlines flyover is still ongoing.

The group made this known in a statement released in Port Harcourt on Wednesday signed by its Executive Director, Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface while reacting to the statement by the State Government that the Rumuola and GRA flyovers are scheduled for commissioning on December 9 and 11 respectively.

Mr. Fyneface said if the government must commission the GRA flyover, it should combine it with that of Rumuola since both flyover are less than 1km apart. He said the front of the Federal Secretariat can be used by the government to set up canopies for the commissioning of both flyovers same day.

Mr. Fyneface further said it is not economically prudent to commission both flyovers on different days, spending money on the event, media and block roads to worsen the worsening traffic situation in the state capital when both flyovers can be commissioned same day if he cannot suspend that of GRA for now as advised by YEAC.

The group in the statement also frowned at the rationale behind the planned commissioning of the GRA flyover which cannot be put into use immediately because the waterlines flyover where it leads is still under construction. Adding that instead, the government should wait patiently for the waterlines flyover to be completed and commissioned alongside the GRA flyover the same day for them to both be put into use the same day.

Mr. Fyneface wondered why the Governor of the State, Chief Barr. Nyesom Wike who had said his government is making impact due to his prudent management of scare resources would commission two flyovers that are less than 5minutes walking distance on different days and even spend money to commission a flyover that cannot be used immediately after commissioning because it is leading to nowhere for now, on a different day.

FYNEFACE DUMNAMENE FYNEFACE,

Executive Director,

ADVOCACY CENTRE

08-12-2021