Construction giant, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, has commenced preliminary works on the proposed Otovwodo Flyover project in Ughelli, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State.
On Friday, a team of engineers from the company conducted soil sampling at the project site as part of tests to determine the soil’s suitability for the multi-billion-naira construction.
A senior staff of the firm, who spoke with journalists at the site, disclosed that the team was deployed from Abuja specifically for the exercise. He explained that the samples would undergo detailed laboratory analysis before major construction work begins.
The flyover, awarded by the Delta State Government in July at a cost of over ₦39 billion, is expected to ease traffic congestion in Ughelli, a major transit hub that connects several parts of the Niger Delta region.
But while many road users expressed relief that the long-awaited project had finally kicked off, anxiety filled the Otovwodo Market and Motor Park, where traders and transport workers fear displacement.
Mrs. Roseline Edevbie, a tomato seller at Otovwodo Market, told journalists: “This is where I feed my children from. If the government wants to build the bridge, they should tell us what will happen to our stalls. We don’t want to be stranded.”
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Members of the Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), who operate from the popular Otovwodo Motor Park, also voiced concern. Mr. Okoro Onome, a commercial driver, said: “We are not against the flyover because it will reduce traffic, but where will they put us if they remove this park? Many families depend on this place.”
Another resident, who gave his name as Monday, said: “The flyover is good, but the government must carry us along. Nobody has told us whether this market or park will remain.”
Until construction commences fully, it remains unclear whether the market and motor park will be demolished, relocated, or spared.
The commencement of soil sampling marks the first visible step in the execution of one of the most anticipated infrastructure projects in Delta State.
