By NOL24 Media Cathedral– Asaba
Residents of Illah and Ebu in Oshimili North Local Government Area have welcomed the approval of the Illah–Ebu road project, after months of appeals over the deplorable state of the road.
Community leader, Ben Ngozi Enwose, confirmed the approval in a statement on Monday, thanking Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, for responding to the community’s appeal.
“I want to personally thank Governor Sheriff for hearing our cry and that of the good people of Ebu,” Enwose said.
Enwose also thanked the Chairman of Oshimili North Local Government, Innocent Esewezie, saying the approval came within a month of the chairman’s assurance that the project would receive attention.
He described the chairman’s action as “a promise kept.”
Enwose also acknowledged former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, saying the former governor had shown continued interest in the development of the area.
WHAT WE STILL DON’T KNOW – AND WHAT NOL24 IS ASKING:
Approval is not construction. Before residents celebrate, NOL24 is seeking answers to five questions:
1. When will work start? No date has been announced.
2. How much is the contract? No cost has been published.
3. Who is the contractor? No contractor has been named.
4. How long is the road? The full scope – Illah to Ebu, drainage, culverts – has not been detailed.
5. When will it be completed? No delivery timeline has been given.
Enwose himself stressed that approval alone is not enough, calling for more development for Illah.
“Governor Sheriff, thank you once again and again. However, Illah needs more dividends of democracy,” he said.
For residents, the road is not just politics. It is about movement, market access, school runs, healthcare, and the cost of transporting goods between Illah, Ebu, and Asaba.
NOL24 has contacted the Delta State Government and the Oshimili North Local Government for the contract details, timeline, and scope of work. We will publish the response when received.
Until then, NOL24 will track this story under our Development Watch:
PROMISES. PERFORMANCE. DELIVERY. IMPACT.
“God bless Illah. God bless Delta State Government,” Enwose concluded.