By Onome Oghenetega
Some indigenes of Ikpide-Irri community in the Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State have appealed to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to blacklist the contracting firm handling the community road construction project.
They said the firm, Portplus Limited, should be blacklisted for executing poor and substandard road project worth almost a billion naira.
The owner of Portplus, an indigene of the community, was allegedly indicted following accusation of poor quality job levelled against the firm by members of the community.
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They also demanded that the second phase of the project should be awarded to another competent contractor who will deliver quality and lasting road project to members of the community.
In a statement signed by Sabastine Agbefe and Omohode Richard for the aggrieved concerned indigenes noted that the contractor should not have been awarded to the contractor since it has NP experience on road construction.
It could be recall that the Ikpide-Irri community project has been greeted with controversies since the allegation which had also saw the commissioner for works, Engr James Augoye visiting the site.
They blamed the recent flooding in the community on substandard project executed by firmwas responsible flooding of houses in the community as a result of the poorly job done by the firm.
Governor Okowa, had in early 2017, awarded the first phase of the Ikpide-Irri road contract to Portplus Limited at the cost of N736, 404, 555.60, with the elder brother of the contractor and president general of the community, Michael Omojefe.
Raising the fresh alarm of substandard job, the indigenes disclosed that instead of the contractor who is an indigene of the community to execute a project that will stand the test of time, he is busy cutting corners to maxima huge project to the detriment of his own community.
“We are urging the governor to immediately revoke and re-award the contract to a competent company that specialised in road construction. We also urge the governor never to award the second phase of the contract to the incompetent Portplus Limited.
“We received with great joy, the news that the contract was awarded to our own son, an indigene of the community where the job is sited. But it is however sad to note that a project designed by your government to bring smiles to the faces of the residents of the community is been executed poorly just to maxima huge profits. We urge you to revoke the contract immediately.”, the statement warned.
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As at the time of this report, when our correspondent contacted the firm’s site engineer, Frank Nnamdi, simply said he was not permitted to speak to the press following the controversy the project has generated for the past one year.
Meanwhile, the state Commissioner for Works, James Augoye, who had last year during an inspection of the project declared it substandard, said last two weeks during a press briefing in Asaba that all complaints on the project has been looked into for a high quality delivery, disclosing that the state executive council meeting has approved a redesign and review of the project.
“His Excellency said and I want to also re-echo it that there is need for communities to take ownership of projects that are been constructed in their communities. It will assist us to monitor the contractors and even monitor our field Engineers to ensure that there will be no compromises.”
