The Federal executive Council (FEC) has approved N500 million as variation for the completion of a road project in Delta.

Minister of Niger-Delta Affairs, Sen. Godswill Akpabio made this known when he briefed State House correspondents, at the end of the Council meeting, chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari, at the Council Chamber, Abuja, on Wednesday.

According to him, the road is a project of the Niger-Delta Ministry, which has already attained 97 percent completion.

He said: “The Ministry of Niger-Delta Affairs presented two memos today at the Federal Executive Council and both were approved.

“One was just augmentation or a variation of the contract for the construction of a road in Bulu-Oriagbene, Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta.

“The road is about 18.7 kilometres and the initial contract price was about N8.5 billion and with the variation price today, the contract price is now about N9 billion and the Federal executive Council today approved that variation.’’

The minister revealed that the contractors had been given six months to complete the project.

Akpabio also disclosed that the council approved the floating of a digital platform where projects executed by his ministry could be monitored at all times.

“The second memo I presented was on what we call Strategic Implementation Work Plan (SIWP), for the Niger Delta region.

“The intention here is to have a web-based monitoring system, an e-portal where all the agencies under us and development partners as well as non-governmental organisations including states and local governments that are involved in implementing projects in the Niger Delta region.

“We will have all their projects keyed into that portal.

“This is to ensure that at the touch of the button you can see what each company, state or local government or international organisation is doing as they add value to the Niger Delta region.”

He explained that the portal was being introduced to help in coordinating the activities of the agencies, and also prevent duplication of projects.

According to Akpabio, the Niger Delta Ministry has so far completed 50 projects and are now awaiting inauguration.

He said the delay in inaugurating the affected projects was as a result of the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. (NAN)