There is palpable excitement across Warri and Effurun as Julius Berger Nigeria Plc pushes the Warri/Effurun Roads and Flyovers projects toward completion, with major components set to be delivered before the onset of the rainy season.
The engineering giant last week confirmed significant progress on the Delta State Government-funded infrastructure scheme, which includes three flyovers and extensive roadworks aimed at transforming traffic flow and boosting commercial activity within the metropolis.
In Enerhen, Effurun, construction of the flyover has reached about 97 per cent completion. Residents, business owners and commuters say the project is already redefining the area’s outlook and unlocking fresh economic opportunities.
A commercial taxi driver in Enerhen, Joseph Eseoghene, described the development as life-changing.
“Today we are already breathing the fresh air of better development. Each day I wake up and see this magic Julius Berger has delivered here”, he said, pointing at the flyover. “My heart jumps for joy”.
A passenger in his Toyota Sienna bus, who identified himself simply as Atuyota, recalled the brief opening of the road in December.
“When the road was temporarily opened, we experienced what a better life from Julius Berger’s good job means. The smooth road allowed us to travel with little or no hindrance. The beauty and quality of the road and this flyover are a masterpiece we will enjoy for a long time”, he said.
At the DSC Flyover, Roads and Underpass, commuters shared similar sentiments, praising the contractor’s pace and quality of work.
Jonathan Ojarikre, an accountant with an oil services company, said the community is eagerly awaiting the official commissioning.
“We will celebrate not just the government for giving this to us; above all, we will celebrate Julius Berger for delivering what we wanted and deserve. For decades, we coped with bad roads that limited our businesses and interactions. Now we can already see and feel the progress this project is bringing”, he said.
Providing an update last Friday, the Project Manager, Engr. Thomas Haug, disclosed that the three flyovers under construction are scheduled for completion by the end of March, although some ancillary roadworks will be finalised later. He noted that the Delta State Government would announce the commissioning date.
On the Osubi Road project, Haug said work is progressing steadily.
“We are within the contractual period and making good progress. If you drive from the airport, you can see how fast the work is going. We are accelerating all projects because of the coming rains, which are usually heavy in Delta State”, he explained.
An architect from the Osubi axis, Samuel Edebiri, commended the pace of work.
“This Osubi Road had been dilapidated for a long time. I saw the progress last month, and this time I came, everything has improved. It’s commendable”, he said.
Haug also described progress on the Ughelli and Agbor Flyover projects as “aggressive”, noting that while construction is ongoing at Otovwodo in Ughelli, piling works are in progress at Uromi Junction for the Agbor Flyover.
He attributed the steady advancement of the projects to cordial relationships with host communities and consistent funding from the Delta State Government.
Corroborating the update, Julius Berger’s Regional Manager for the South and East, Engr. Friedrich Wiesa, expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance.
“We are pleased with the pace of work our team is maintaining, and we will continue in that spirit. As partners with the government and the people of Delta State, we are transforming challenges into tangible opportunities”, he said.