Shoddy Job: Ebonyi Orders Contractors’ Arrest

Acting governor of Ebonyi State, Princess Patricia Obila, has ordered the arrest of some contractors handling the Amaeze/Izzo Housing Estate over alleged shoddy job and substandard materials used in the construction of the buildings.

Obila, who expressed sadness over the delay and the poor work the contractors had executed, said the state government would not continue to tolerate the activities of some contractors sabotaging the government efforts in project execution.

She said, “We are not happy here at all. This project is supposed to have been completed and commissioned this month. Look everywhere. I purposely entered here so that you won’t tell me stories. Look at the building. Nobody has entered here, and it has started collapsing already.

“With all the money we have put in here in this project, are you not telling us that when the occupants of this building move in, that within 3 to 6 months that the house will not start falling on them. Get me the list of all of them, let me know whom they are, they are going to be arrested,” she said.

The acting governor, who led a delegation of top government officials, inspected 19 ongoing projects in Ishielu, Ohaukwu, and Abakaliki local government areas.

Some of the projects inspected include, 22-classroom block at Girls High School, Ezillo, 24km Ezillo-Ezzagu Road, Amaeze/Izzo Housing Estate, Amaeze Izzo Housing Estate internal roads and the ongoing classroom blocks at Unity Primary School, Amovu.

Others include, ongoing 24km Umuogudu Oshia-Nigercem Road, ongoing 22-classroom blocks at Izhia Girls Secondary School, Ezzamgbo, the ongoing construction of Industrial City project at Ezzamgbo and the installation of new machines at Pipe Production Company, Ezzamgbo amongst others.

She commended some of the contractors handling some other projects and expressed concern over the slow pace of work in some other construction sites, warning them to expedite action to complete the projects for commissioning.

She also appreciated stakeholders and the people for their unwavering support to the People’s Charter of Needs administration of the state governor Francis Nwifuru, assuring them that the administration has made significant progress in project execution.

Speaking also to LEADERSHIP, a former speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon Augustine Nwankwagu, called on the state governor to, apart from terminating the contracts awarded to some contractors executing shoddy jobs, take a step further to prosecute them to serve as a deterrent to others.