By Kelvin Ohoror
Residents of Ofagbe Community in Isoko North Local Government Area of Delta State have staged a protest over the prolonged delay and alleged poor execution of the 24-kilometre Isoko Ring Road project, calling on Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to revoke the contract awarded to Dora-Dan Global Resources.
The protest, led by the President-General of the community, Engr. Cyril Jeke, saw demonstrators express frustration over what they described as the contractor’s inability to deliver on the critical infrastructure project despite multiple interventions by the state government.
Speaking during the protest, Engr. Jeke accused the contractor of a “clear lack of capacity and competence,” noting that the project has remained largely uncompleted years after it was awarded during the administration of former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.
According to the community, the road, which traverses Ellu, Ovrode, Ofagbe, Orie-Irri, Okpe-Isoko, Uro-Irri, and Ada-Irri, was initially scheduled for completion by December 2022.
However, they lamented that the project remains far from completion, leaving residents to grapple with worsening living conditions.
Jeke recalled that several high-level interventions had been made to salvage the situation, including a fact-finding visit by the Deputy Governor and an inspection by Governor Oborevwori in March 2025.
“These efforts led to an upward review of the contract sum to enable improved performance by the contractor. Despite the financial adjustment, the community said there has been no meaningful progress on the project.”
He further disclosed that a strategic meeting held in June 2025, involving stakeholders, government officials, and the contractor, facilitated by the Special Adviser on Project Monitoring and Audit, Engr. Dr. Goodnews Agbi, resulted in a commitment by Dora-Dan Global Resources to remobilise to site and accelerate work.
“That promise has not been fulfilled in any meaningful way,” the statement added.
While acknowledging assurances from the Commissioner for Works (Highways and Urban Roads), Comrade Reuben Izeze, that the state government remains committed to completing the project, the community insisted that the situation on the ground contradicts such assurances.
Describing the pace of work as “snail-like and unacceptable,” the protesters warned that continued delays would further worsen the plight of residents, especially with the rainy season approaching.
“The road has become a nightmare for commuters and residents. Economic activities are crippled, access to essential services is severely affected, and our people are enduring untold hardship daily,” the statement read.
Protesters carried placards with inscriptions such as “The Contractor is Incompetent, Revoke the Contract Now,” “Government Funds, Zero Progress — Why?”, “This Delay is Unacceptable,” and “Development Delayed is Development Denied,” among others.
They highlighted the human and economic toll of the delay, noting that farmers are unable to transport their produce, pregnant women struggle to access healthcare, and communities risk being cut off entirely during the rainy season.
The community, therefore, urged Governor Oborevwori to terminate the existing contract and re-award it to a more competent contractor with proven capacity to deliver within a reasonable timeframe.
“We have confidence in the Governor’s MORE Agenda, but that commitment must be reflected in firm decisions when a contractor has clearly failed,” the leaders stated, adding that the patience of the people has been overstretched.
Responding to the protest, the Chief of Staff, Government House Asaba, Hon. Johnson Erijo, commended the community for adopting a peaceful approach in drawing government attention to their concerns rather than resorting to self-help.
Erijo acknowledged that the Deputy Governor, the Commissioner for Works, and the Governor had previously made commitments regarding the road, assuring the protesters that their grievances would be communicated to the governor.
“I will bring your protest to the attention of His Excellency. As you rightly noted, the government has zero tolerance for shoddy jobs. Necessary action will be taken accordingly,” he said.
He further assured the community that the state government would look into their plight and take appropriate steps to address the situation.
