ASABA/Nigeria: The Delta State Government announced the termination of the era of contractor impunity within the Ministry of Works, emphasizing a commitment to delivering quality projects without compromise.
Commissioner for Works in charge of Urban and Highway Roads, Comrade Reuben Izeze, expressed these sentiments during an inspection of damages incurred in the ongoing Ughelli-Asaba dualization project.
Expressing visible dismay over the situation, Commissioner Izeze underscored the significance of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s vision for delivering top-notch projects in the state. He warned against any attempts to sabotage the governor’s commitment to quality and asserted that such efforts would be met with resistance.
The Commissioner raised concerns about a contractor, Reginalo Nwachukwu Enterprise, encroaching into the Asaba-Ughelli expressway without proper clearance for the construction of Kwakagbor community internal roads and flood control projects. Izeze immediately directed relevant officials to engage with China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), the contractor handling the Ughelli-Asaba dualization project, to rectify the situation.
In no uncertain terms, Commissioner Izeze declared, “The era of impunity is gone; it is gone for good. The covenant of Governor Oborevwori to the people of Delta State is MORE. It is a covenant that he made before God and Deltans, and that covenant must be fulfilled.”
He emphasized the importance of extracting value for every penny spent on government projects, asserting, “For everything that this government pays for, we must extract value for every penny irrespective of whose ox is gored. The era of impunity is gone. There is law and order now. We cannot descend to the Frankenstein era; it will not happen. Everybody is equal before the law. There is no special citizen, and if you (the contractor) have such a notion, it is a fallacious misrepresentation. There is a new Sheriff in town.”
During the inspection, Director of Urban Roads, Ministry of Works, Engr Solomon Akpotohwo, explained that the contractor had not sought the ministry’s consent before tampering with an already finished project. Akpotohwo further conveyed the commissioner’s assertion that the contractor lacked the capacity to rectify the damages done.
Representatives of the contracting firm clarified that the portion of the drainage system collapsed while attempting to connect flood control channels from Kwakagbor community to the discharge point around the Koka junction, Asaba interchange. The Delta State Government, however, remains resolute in ensuring accountability and adherence to established procedures in all ongoing projects.
