Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, Friday, said the state government prepares payment schedule on weekly basis to pay contractors as they turn in their certificates.
The Governor who disclosed this during inspection of Orere bridge in Ughelli South Local Government Area of the state, said his administration would no longer allow contractors take projects they could not finish on time.
He said the Orere bridge which was started by the previous administration, connects over fifteen riverine communities along the corridor.
“This bridge is very key to several communities within this area, without this bridge, accessing those communities is very difficult. So when this bridge is completed, it will be of very great benefit to about 15 communities around this area.
“Like I promised before we are also going to engage indigenous contractors and that is what we are doing.
“Even though we are using some international companies, we also need to engage our local contractors and I think the quality of work is okay.
“We need to encourage our local contractors, but I am not happy with the speed of work, the momentum is not okay, the contractor needs to step up activity”, he said.
Continuing, Governor Oborevwori, said; “there is not enough speed on this job, if we continue like this, how long will I be coming here for inspection? I believe that when I come again it should be for final inspection before commissioning.
“So the contractor has till the end of this year to see what they will
be able to do, even if we have to reduce their contract work in other places so they can concentrate.
“This is imperative because we can’t just have contractors with so many contracts and moving from one site to another sampling equipment when we are going for inspection.
“We will encourage contractors to take what they can do, when you finish your job on time, we will give you another job so that’s what we will be doing now.
“Those who have too many jobs, we are going to revoke some of them that are not performing but if you are performing no problem, but if you are not performing we will revoke your contract and give it to those who can perform.
“Before now some will give excuse about payment but there is no excuse about that because we pay you if you have a certificate today, we will pay.
“We don’t do cash budget on monthly basis, we do it on weekly basis to pay people. The contractor has to apply speed on this job because time is running.
“By the time we are celebrating our second anniversary, I should be able to have a lot of jobs to commission.
“This inspection is to ascertain work done by these contractors and also look at their performance, so coming here today, the quality of work is okay for their standard, but there is no speed, we want speed on this job.”
On the economic viability of the bridge, Governor Oborevwori said, “if there is no economic value there is no way we can put this kind of bridge here but moreover they are also Deltans and like we have promised that we will be fair and just to the people of Delta State.
“From here you can access so many of these villages and bring their products to the town instead of using boats they will just drive through and even people can come from outside to the communities to buy produce.
“We have over five kilometers of road across because completing this bridge without the road, we will not make much meaning to inhabitants of these communities.”
The Governor also inspected the 46km Ohoror-Bomadi Road linking Ughelli North, Ughelli South, Patani, Burutu and Bomadi local government areas.
“There was wild jubilation the day it was approved at the EXCO, and that shows that people are very happy. So it’s not only just to serve the Ijaw people, it also serves part of Urhobo people,” he said.
At Edo Road, Ughell, which is being constructed with concrete, the governor commended the contractor for the quality of work done, adding that when completed with Asphalt overlay, the connecting roads would help reduce traffic around Otovwodo junction.
