ENUGU ASSEMBLY FROWNS AT DELAY OF PROJECTS IN LGAs
The Enugu State Assembly Committee on Works, Lands and Urban Development has expressed dissatisfaction with the slow pace of work by contractors handling government projects in various local government areas in the state.
The Chairman of the Committee, Ozo Sunday Udeokoye made this known when he led members of the Committee on over sight visit to some project sites in Nkanu East Local Government Area.
The Enugu State Governor, Chief Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi inaugurated construction of various projects in all the local government areas.
Contractors were said to have been mobilized with one hundred million naira each with an instruction to complete them on or before December 2016.
However, investigation revealed that the December contractual deadline was not met, typical of most Nigerian contracts.
It was against this backdrop that the house committee embarked on the inspection of these projects with a view of ascertaining progress of work on them.
Areas visited by the committee included Amechi-Idodo-Ama Uzam-Amagunze road, Inyaba bridge and Ugbawka, Iyara Nkerefi road where it was observed that work was still going on in a snail pace.
The Chairman of the committee, Ozo Sunday Udeokoye, representing Awgu North Constituency, expressed concern over progress of work by some contractors.
He called on them to adhere to the terms of agreement and assured that no contractor would run away with the state government fund.
Ozo Udeokoye said the committee would intensify effort in ensuring that contractors conform to standard and scheduled time of completion.
A contractor handling one of the sites, Mr. Philip Okoh attributed the delay to the ministry of works inability in relocating electric poles standing on the site of the project up till now
“We started work for two weeks without the government giving us one kobo then, unfortunately, the ministry came back and told us that where they showed us was the wrong place and I said there was no problem and was willing to go ahead. Then when they brought me here, I stared work and I asked them they have to remove the poles, which was their responsibility.”
The contractor at Ugwawka axis, Mr. Zang Cling constructing one point five kilometers road, who started construction at the middle of the road, said that the instruction was from stakeholders in the area, including the SSG.
Reacting, a resident engineer at Amagunze area, Mr. Christian Avute said the delay was not the fault of the contractor and gave an assurance to the committee that the ministry was on the ground to ensure quality.
“This time around, you see the target now here is to deliver this work before the onset of the rainy season in other words to complete this project and leave the road before the end of February.”
Some of the residents pleaded with the state government to do the needful as dust emanating from the un-tarred road was endangering the health of the people.
by
OLIVER OSSAI