Delta State Government has reiterated its zero tolerance to poorly executed road projects urging contractors to ensure that any road project awarded to them is executed according to specifications and standards.
The Special Adviser to the Delta State Governor on Projects Monitoring and Audit, Dr Goodnews Agbi, stated this on Tuesday when he led top officials of the directorate including Permanent Secretary, Mrs Patricia Esejo and an Executive Assistant on Project Monitoring, Engineer Blessing Enamuotor to monitor some road projects in Abavo, Ika South Local Government and Idumuesah, Ika North East Local Government Area.
Agbi while supervising the reconstruction of the 3.2 kilometres Saint Charles College road from Agbor Eku road to Saint Charles College Abavo in Ika South Local Government Area Phase One expressed dissatisfaction over the poor execution of the project by the contractor, Neodede Contracting Limited.
Dr Agbi noted that the inability of the contractor to execute the project in line with the specifications was against the purpose of reconstruction of the road.
He stressed that the purpose of reconstruction of the road was in line with the MORE Agenda of the state government in bringing more socio-economic growth to the state by linking communities through good quality access roads.
“The Governor (Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori) has zero tolerance for poor jobs that is why he has set up this body. We are going after every project and where there is a poor job we tell the contractor to redo it,” said Agbi.
At Idumuesah, the Special Adviser inspected the rehabilitation and overlay of Idumuesah/Ute-Urumu road a 3.65km project where he stated that Governor Sheriff Oborevwori was passionate about ensuring that the failed portion of the road was completed to enable motorists to move seamlessly and accelerate economic growth of the area.
Agbi emphasized that the State government was not in a hurry to complete the road just to celebrate one year in office, but to give Deltans a better access road.
The Resident Engineer for Ika North East, Mrs Enibe Komboye said the contractor handling the Idumuesah road project as a part of proactive measures graded the road to enable motorists to use it as work was still ongoing.
Speaking with journalists, Agbi clears the air on the negative perception by some Deltans of the pace of the ongoing construction of three flyovers and road expansion projects in Uvwie and Warri being handled by construction giant, Julius Berger.
He said the firm is approaching the project by global best practices in engineering and construction to deliver a world-class project which Deltans would be proud and remember for a long time the administration of Governor Oborevwori.
He said, “Nothing has slowed down. The Governor has not slowed down at all in all the projects he is doing in the state.
“All the projects we have been monitoring, everywhere you go there is project galore. People who are not engineers will think why Julius Berger is not working. You cannot just come and copy and paste. Bridges are specialized projects in engineering, it is not like road work. Very soon Deltans will begin to applaud the good works Governor Oborevwori is doing.”
The Special Adviser and his team have over the months intensified monitoring of all ongoing projects including roads and bridges being executed across the state ahead of their inauguration as part of activities to mark the one year in office of the Oborevwori-led administration.