Following recent public outcry on the state of the East-West road several years after it was awarded for construction, Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godsday Orubebe, at the weekend, assured Nigerians that Federal Government would complete the project by December 2014.

Orubebe made the disclosure in an interview with journalists in Benin City, Edo State, after delivering the 7th Faculty of Social Sciences lecture of University of Benin (UNIBEN), saying so far, about N1.2 billion was provided for the East-West road as against the approved N200 billion.

The minister disclosed that in 2006, former President Olusegun Obasanjo awarded the East-West road contract for about N200 billion, saying: "This was a project that was awarded for N200 billion and what was provided was N1.2 billion as against what was approved.

"The project was expected to have been completed in 2009. And a project of this magnitude requires a survey and detailed design that will take not less than one year. But, because of the pressure, the president gave them only two weeks and they came back with what we call just ordinary base line survey.

"The contractors had no money, it was in 2009, when this project was handed over to the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs that we had to spend the whole of 2009 and 2010 to draw detailed design for this projects. There were no funding programmes for this project and later, the detailed designs were completed in 2010."

According to him, "it is from 2010, we came to have financial grant for the road. Anytime I want to talk at the National Executive meeting, my colleagues either call me East-West road or Niger Delta." I stand to say this road must be completed because this is where the resources from this nation come from.

"And when I come home, people who do not know how I struggled, people who do not know and care to know about how far we have gone, talk in the pages of newspapers and television and even in Abuja to say that government is not doing anything.

"For the first time in the history of Nigeria under President Goodluck Jonathan's administration, 2013 east-west road project is provided with N120 billion. I say these things to let you know that you have the president who is determined with a passion to develop the Niger Delta."