Ebonyi State government has expressed displeasure over the poor quality and slow pace of work at the different sites of the 2-kilometre rural road projects approved and awarded by the Governor Francis Nwifuru to indigenous contractors in the state.
The Commissioner for Infrastructural Development for Concession, Engr Obasi Obara, said the quality and pace of work by the contractors were not commensurate with the funds released to them by the state government.
Addressing the contractors during a meeting, Engr Obasi maintained that apart from the funds released to them, the duration of the projects as spelt out in the contract agreement stipulates three months period adding that more than 10 months after, nothing much has been achieved.
“Let us consider that we have rainy season period, the contractors ought to have utilised between November 2024 and January 2025 to complete the work. The period could have been enough to record an acceptable progress,” he said.
He also frowned at the inability of the contractors to ensure proper filling of the road adding that proper filling guarantees a stable earth work.
“It is so sad to observe that many contractors are yet to completed earthwork and culverts considering the level of payments made so far to them by the state government. It is pertinent to warned that the rainy season will soon commence and it will be unacceptable to extend the project beyond February 2025.
He further advised the contractors to always source for cement from the Ministry of Trade and Investment at affordable prices and also endeavour to generate certificates as they progress, according to the recommendation of the site engineers.
Also reacting, the State Commissioner for Project Monitoring and Evaluation, Engr Felix Igboke commended Engr Obasi for providing each site with a supervising engineer to closely supervise and monitor the project.
He expressed regret at the poor quality of concrete work done by the contractors adding that some of the contractors laid the cement on failed earth work.
He called for proper regulation on the failed earth work and emphasised the need to properly watering and compact before casting of concrete.
During the meeting, the contractors took turns to report different stages of work progress in their different sites and thanked the state government for the timely intervention.
One of the contractors, Hakon Nig. LTD appealed to the state governor to assist them owing to the high cost of materials which he said has so much skyrocketed and made the project initial cost unachievable.
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