Retelling the story of Warri through city transformation

Julius Berger is supporting the Delta State Government to strengthen the story of Warri – Effurun through the transformation of its city scape.

In collaboration with the Delta State Government, the company is set to improve and modernize the existing road infrastructure, including upgrading of existing roads and addition of key flyovers and interchanges. The company says it is very proud to be the partner of choice to bring infrastructure development that will rejuvenate the thriving economic nucleus of Delta State, paving the way for greater progress, economic growth and development.

Today, the situation reflects the delicate combination of climate change impacts and rapid urban expansion into floodwater storage zones, which are a real threat, exacerbating flood risks and vulnerabilities for at-risk communities in the low-lying coastal plains of Warri. This situation, alongside Warri’s role as a major hub of Nigeria’s petroleum industry makes the terrain of Warri difficult to navigate by any means.

Warri sits on the bank of Warri River which joined Forcados River and Escravos River through Jones Creek in the lower Niger Delta Region. The city has a modern seaport which serves as the cargo transit point between the Niger River and the Atlantic Ocean for import and export.

And over the years, the city which was founded on a flood-prone mangrove swamp terrain in 1893 receives large volumes of floodwaters through the numerous distributaries and creeks of the Niger River flowing through to the ocean. Hence, some of the early colonial office buildings in the city were built on stilts or raised foundations.

Coupled with bad roads and largely laterite lanes, side streets and alleys that had taken over the entire area now known as Warri/Effurun, residents literally had difficulties attending to their daily callings. But that was before 2023.

Last September 2023, the government of Delta State issued a letter of contract award to Julius Berger for the sum of N78billion for a novel Warri Road Network Development.

The project for which work has since commenced are as follows: design and construction of Flyover Bridge from Enerhen Junction, Effurun to Marine Gate, Warri in Uvwie and Warri South Local Government Areas.

The State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori told his audience at the kick-off of the project December 2, 2023 back that Julius Berger is to embark on the study, design and construction of road expansion and improvement works on the section of DSC/NPA Expressway from Effurun Roundabout to DSC Roundabout on the Effurun/Patani (East/West) Highway including construction of a Cloverleaf Interchange at the existing Effurun Flyover Bridge as well as two Pedestrian Bridges, in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area.

He said the company will also, design and construct a Flyover Bridge at PTI Junction, along the Effurun/Patani (East/West) Highway, Effurun in Uvwie Local Government Area as well as design and construct a Flyover at DSC Roundabout, along the Effurun/Patani (East/West) Highway, Effurun in Uvwie Local Government Area.

With the contract signed and the advance payment paid, mobilization to the site started in October 2023. Since then, there has been no looking back by Julius Berger whose mobilization to site has turned Warri and Effurun areas into one big and efficiently developing construction site.

Not too long ago, the Project Manager, Thomas Haug was upbeat saying that once a lot of utilities due for relocation from the project route is done, we will deliver the project on time and ahead of schedule. The utilities including oil and gas pipelines as well as related utility cables and pipes conveying electricity and water have since been speedily relocated; and construction works have started.

Praising the efforts of his team in commitment to the project during the pre-construction regime and the current, the Project Manager added that the company will deliver the project ahead of the scheduled deadline.

At the area around the PTI junction in Effurun, diversions have been created on both sides of the busy road even as the main construction work has vigorously been done. At press time weekend, work was on by the company to lay the pilings for a flyover there while the stretch of road from the DSC roundabout in Warri is now a beehive of activities after the median of the road has been cleared and graded ahead of the drilling of the ground for piling for another flyover in the area.

The projects, being the first to be done by Julius Berger for Delta State Government since its creation on August 27, 1991, were applauded by Deltans at home and in the Diaspora.

Months back, a supervising engineer from the State Ministry of Works, Emmanuel Oghorodje who was on ground to ensure the smoothness of the operation informed that the contractor has completed the planning and demarcation of the roads before mobilizing to site and expressed confidence that with the commitment of Governor Oborevwori to ensuring the speedy completion of the projects, the company will deliver as scheduled.

Residents and motorists plying the busy Effurun and Warri roads have expressed joy with the work of Julius Berger in the construction of the flyover bridges and road expansion works in the twin metropolis of Delta State.

He assured that measures have been put in place to reduce traffic jams on the road while the construction works are on and urged road users to follow instructions and obey the traffic officers.

The Market Women Association was among the first to react to the development. In a statement, one of their leaders, Mrs. Lady Oyibo retorted, “We lost hope all these several years. No roads, traffic wahala and no business. Today we are all smiling because hope has come, and its manifestation is close by”.

A secondary school teacher in Effurun, Marcus Akpomiemie reacted thus: Warri and Effurun have always been twins in dirt, traffic gridlock and unpassable roads. The government of the day identified the yawning developmental hinderance. It has brought in Julius Berger to bring their acclaimed professional expertise to bear on the hopelessness that prevailed in this place. Most of us, Wafians are hopeful that this intervention by Julius Berger will take us to the realm of super infrastructures that we have never seen in this megapolis.

Many other motorists lauded Governor Oborevwori for the landmark projects and called for its speedy completion, just as many of the traders in the area were full of praises for the Governor, noting that when completed the projects will boost economic activities in the metropolis.

Their joy no doubt, stems from the fact that the megalopolis which, no doubt, remains one of the leading commercial Centre of the state has been in a state of comatose and a shadow of its past.

Though Gov Oborevwori was humble to state that Julius Berger was given the contract to give Warri/Effurun a face lift, the state commissioner for works, Works, Highways and Urban Roads, Reuben Izeze said, the justification for choosing Julius Berger was due to their experience and competitive pricing in relation to the quality of works and timely delivery of projects.

Leaders and members of opposition parties were unanimous in the foregoing respect.

A leader of the All-Progressives Congress, APC, and erstwhile member of the Delta State House of Assembly, Hon. Silas Buowe, hailed Oborevwori for taking the bold step to bring Julius Berger Nigeria Plc to construct flyovers and roads in Warri and Effurun.

The APC stalwart was particularly impressed with Oborevwori’s bold move for the construction of flyovers to reshape Warri, Uvwie and environs and his commitment to standard delivery by contracting one of the best construction firms in Nigeria to handle the projects.

He declared that the decision to transform Warri by employing Nigeria’s best construction company is commendable and it is enough reason that redemption is coming to our beloved oil city.