From Nwogha Ndubuisi, Abakaliki
Ebonyi State House of Assembly Joint Committee on Infrastructure, Projects Monitoring and Evaluation has condemned the shoddy job done by contractors in charge of 2km rural roads in Ebonyi South Senatorial Zone, warning them to adhere to specifications or be ready to face the wrath of the law.
Chairman of the committee, Prince Nkemka Okoro-Onumah made the disclosure in a statement signed by the Assembly’s spokesman, Sylvester Egede, after they paid a visit to the project covering Ohaozara, Onicha and Afikpo North Local Government Areas.
The committee observed with dismay that at all the nine sites visited in Ohaozara and Onicha, “no one did a good job, while some have not even mobilised to site despite the fact that they have been paid 30 percent mobilisation fee immediately the contract was awarded in May.”
Okoro-Onumah lamented the bad job that was done despite the fact that many of the contractors are stakeholders and indigenous.
He noted that if indigenous contractors could treat Ebonyi people as such, it would be unfortunate if the Assembly folds its arms and watch a group of people paint the governor black.
He added that the governor had the good intention of awarding road projects to indigenous contractors across the 13 local government areas, adding that the Assembly would not hesitate to bring the contractors to book if nothing is done immediately.
On his part, Chairman of the House Committee on Projects Monitoring and Evaluation, Ukie Ezeali said the contractors were supposed to have completed the earth work and clearing, completed the culverts and progressed to the main pavement work, but none had done up to 300 meters of earth work.
He emphasised that any contractor that is not performing well should be considered as sabotaging the efforts of government, as the masses are expected to have started using the road based on government’s pronouncement.
He added that at the completion of the oversight visit to the 67 2km roads in the state, a concise report would be issued and misdemeanors made public to the people.
