By Akanimo Sampson
By April next year, the N25.9 billion Dr Peter Odili Cancer, Cardiovascular Diagnostic and Treatment Centre in Rivers State will be functional.
The state government under the watch of Governor Nyesom Wike has announced that construction works at the site will commence soon.
The Cancer, Cardiovascular Diagnostic and Treatment Centre which is sited at Rumuokuta in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area is expected to be completed within 14 months.
Commissioner for Health, Professor Princewill Chike, explains that the health facility is to be built, constructed and furnished by construction giant, Julius Berger.
Chike disclosed that the facility will have modular theatres as well as the necessary state of the art medical equipment, radio therapy and other equipment for nuclear medicine.
“Julius Berger will be given 70 percent of the total cost. The cost of the contract for the Centre is N25,959,139,999.05”, the health commissioner said.
He expressed optimism that when the facility is completed, it will boost medical tourism in Rivers.
In another development, Commissioner for Works, Elloka Tasie-Amadi, says his ministry has received approvals for the construction of a ninth flyover at Rumuepirikom; dualisation of the first phase of the Ahoada- Omoku Road as well as internal roads in Omerelu.
He said the construction of the ninth flyover at Rumuepirikom is necessitated by increasing vehicular activities and traffic jams at some entry points in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
According to him, the flyover which will be completed in 12 months at the cost of N6.6billion, will be funded by the deduction of N400 million monthly from State’s Internally Generated Revenue.
Tasie-Amadi said contract for the dualisation of the first phase of Ahoada Omoku Road has been awarded to Julius Berger.
The project will be 15.2 metre wide, with drains and street lights and will cost N9.5 billion.
He explained that the construction of Omerelu internal roads has been awarded to Monier Construction Company (Nigeria) Limited at the cost of N 4.4billion .
“This project would also be funded by deduction of N500 million monthly from the state’s Internally Generated Revenue”, the works commissioner said.
