Delta State House of Assembly Committee on Transport has pledged stronger synergy with the State Directorate of Transport in its avowed commitment to provide more efficient services to Deltans.
The Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Festus Okoh gave the assurance when the Commissioner in charge of the Directorate, Mr. Onoriode Agofure led officials of the Directorate of Transport to defend its 2024 budget estimate.
Hon. Okoh who is the Deputy Majority Leader and Member Representing Ika South constituency, said the Directorate has great role to play in the actualization of the MORE agenda of the state government.
The Lawmaker, along side with other members of the Committee, including, Hon. Austin Uroye, encouraged the Directorate to up its game at ensuring better performance in the 2024 fiscal year.
The Commissioner, Mr Onoriode Agofure, while briefing the Committee Members on projections for the 2024 fiscal year, expressed the hope that the Directorate will surpass whatever was achieved in the outgoing 2023.
The Transport commissioner disclosed that the Directorate had made provisions for road traffic and warning signs across the State as well as construct and rehabilitate some jetties in the riverine areas of the State.
He said “the Directorate is proposing the sum of N350 million for the provision of road traffic and warning signs across the State”, adding that the old ones had been vandalized.
“We also intend to construct and rehabilitate some jetties in the riverine areas of the State. This would boost infrastructural development drive in the riverine areas of the state”, Agofure stated.
He highlighted the importance of training and retraining of staff, noting that the Directorate was poised to organize more of such for government drivers in the state among others.
The Commissioner appealed for the needed budgetary allocation in the 2024 appropriation bill to enable the Directorate achieve its set goals.
Agofure thanked the Chairman and members of the Assembly Committee on Transport for their support and appealed for greater collaboration that would promote efficiency in the Directorate of Transport.
The Commissioner was accompanied to the State Assembly for the Budget defence by the Permanent Secretary and Directors in the ministry among others.