The Ebonyi State authorities on Thursday, September 5, 2024, reaffirmed its determination to sanction erring contractors, including arrest and prosecution involved in the construction of 140 housing units in the Izzi and Amanze communities in Ishielu Local Council of the state
The Source reports that the housing units project conceived to assist in addressing accommodation deficits in the State ,particularly, Abakaliki the State capital and environs was awarded on September 22,2023.
Addressing the Media on Thursday, the Ebonyi State Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Engr.Francis Ori, however, regretted the inability of the various contracting firms to deliver based on the terms of the agreement reached.
He noted that at conception, the contractors were supposed to deliver the job within a time frame of three months.
The Housing commissioner expressed sadness that almost one year after collecting over 50 % mobilization, the contracting firms are still sitting on the all important project.
The Source reports that before the latest threat from the Commissioner, the Governor of the State, Rt Hon Francis Nwifuru, had issued a September 25, 2024 dateline for the contractors to either deliver or face arrest from the State Government.
Engr Ori said the Government is ever ready to carry out its threat to arrest and prosecute any contractors that fail to meet the September 25 ultimatum.
He expressed unhappiness with some of the contractors for turning around to be asking for variations in the costs of the contract contrary to the terms of the agreements they reached with the state Government.
“You will recall that on 22nd September ,2023 ,Ebonyi State Government awarded contracts to various contractors for the construction of 140 units of three bedroom bungalow for Izzo and Amanze autonomous communities.
“These one hundred and forty three bedroom bungalow were shared evenly 70/70 per autonomous community.
“These contractors signed contract agreement with the Ministry and were mobilized 50% first in the history ,and they commenced construction.
“Along the line ,they started making some requests from the ministry which we considered and deemed it necessary to convey a meeting with the contractors .
“We had a meeting with them on the 22nd of January, 2024, having stayed up to the required time at the site. They came complaining that they need variation of the job and we said no,we paid you people 50% of mobilization ,and you are expected to have completed the sub structural work .
“It was a long argument and after that day, I briefed my boss, the Governor, who out of grace, said we should give them up to April ,and the contractors were mobilized back to site .
“We directed those who have outstanding certificates to indicate and some of the contractors applied and we paid them and they returned back to site.
“But little did we know that some of them will not complete the project. When we now conveyed another meeting of the contractors in June, the contractors started giving many excuses and we told them to go back to site and complete the job .
“Some of these contractors are still waiting to see what we will do up till few days ago during the Ojiji festival when the Governor directed that any contractors who fail to finish their jobs on or before 25th of September 2024, should be arrested and prosecuted according to the contract agreement.” Ori stated.
According to him, much as some of the contractors, following the Governor’s threat, have gone back to site, the September 25 completion dateline remains non negotiable.
Discover more from The Source
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
