Delta State Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Mr. Charles Aniagwu has decried the slow pace of work by the contractor handling the Issele-Azagba/Otulu Road project in Aniocha North Local Government Area of the state.
Mr. Aniagwu who was speaking while inspecting the road project on Wednesday, said he was not impressed with the speed at which the contractor was executing the project, adding that he had made his observations clearly known to the contractor.
According to him, if the contractor wants to continue to work with the state government, he must first of all, bring that speed to bear, saying that he had also pointed out a number of issues which the contractor needs to address to be able to meet up with the quality that the state government desires.
“I am not impressed with their speed and I made it very clear to the contractor that it is either he hastens his speed or we take certain other decisions that he may not be comfortable with.
“So, if he wants to continue to work with us, he must first of all, bring that speed to bear. I have also pointed out a number of issues which he needs to address to be able to meet up with the quality that we do desire,” he said.
At Idumu Etiti Street, Owerre Olubor, in Ika North East Local Government Area of the state, the Commissioner said he was very much impressed with the performance index of the contractor on that particular road project.
“I am very much impressed with the work the contractor did on that particular road. If you drive through that road, you will see that a whole lot of engineering effort was deployed in the construction of the road.
“There was only one small area that is heading into the catch pit which needed to be addressed. We have instructed that they need to ensure that the water flows freely into the catch pit so that it does not begin to cut back on the pathway and then possibly now cause some form of destruction on the deck of the drain. The contractor has also promised that they are going to address that issue,” he added.
Speaking on the Mission Road/Ogboi Street project in Akumazi, also, in Ika North East Local Government Area of the state, Mr. Aniagwu noted with delight that the asphalt work on the road was very much okay.
“Before coming to this particular drain, this particular road, the asphalt work is very much okay. There are, however, some challenges with some of the drain heading towards the catch pit, which is off the main alignment of the road.
“And the contractor has also, promised to address some of those shortcomings, particularly to terminate the drain straight into the catch pit, because if you leave it hanging, there is a tendency with the momentum of the flood water, that it may cause some other devastating effects on property around that particular corridor.
“Bearing in mind that the people who have plots of land in that area are some peasant farmers who may not have the money to begin to take steps to prevent the effect of such a level of flood that may have to flow through the drains. So, the contractor has also promised to go back and address it.
“I have given him three weeks maximum to be able to deal with those issues and that we are coming back here to ensure that that has been done. Without those things being done, nobody is going to bring forward to me the certificates for him to be paid his money.
“And I know that he is interested in getting his money. If he must get his money, he must get the work done and done completely to our satisfaction,” the Works and Public Information Commissioner stated.
