Yenagoa — Construction work has begun on the multi-billion dollar Delta Industrial and Technological Park located at Aladja, near Warri, the Managing Director of O'Secul Nigeria Ltd, Mr. Mike Orugbo, has disclosed.

The first phase of the park which is located on a 1,000 acres of land is expected to gulp over $1.4 billion when construction activity is completed in 40 months time.

Orugbo, who disclosed this when he paid a courtesy call on the Ovie (traditional ruler) of Udu kingdom at his palace in Aladja, said work on the park is expected to take between 10 and 15 years to complete.

According to him, Aladja was chosen to house the part which is expected to launch the technological take-off of Nigeria because of its proximity to raw materials needed for the park to thrive.

Such raw materials included abundant gas which is available from the nearby Utorogu Gas Plant belonging to the Shell Petroleum Development Company, the Delta Steel Plants, a rail line, a river port, road network and a power source that will ensure continuous power supply.

Orugbo enthused that when full construction activities begin, the park is expected to employ thousands of youths many of whom would be trained to be useful to the community and themselves.

"We are privileged to have a steel plant now. We are building things that will make our youths to be trained in technical education. And generate employment through small and medium scale industry," he said.

In his remarks, the Ovie Ohworhu while lamenting the "oppressive" Land Use Decree which vested the control of land matters on state governors, assured the sponsors of the park that they would not be molested by any youth group operating under any guise.

The royal father said youth activities which hinder community progress have been banned by his people, hence, militancy and youth restiveness was alien to Udu kingdom.

Ohworhu disclosed that it was because of the peace that prevailed in his kingdom that attracted the proponents of the proposed Ibru University to site its main campus on Udu land.