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Governor Umo Eno orders contractors to complete the 35-unit Ewet Luxury Garden Estate within three months.
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Contractor faces termination if monthly completion targets are not met.
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The Governor directs delivery of 12 buildings every month from September.
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Eno expresses displeasure over prolonged delay, says houses are overdue for handover to buyers.
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Construction of porch roofs on the buildings ordered stopped.
September 07, (THEWILL) — Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has read the riot act to the contractor handling the Ewet Luxury Garden Estate in Uyo, issuing a three-month ultimatum for the completion of the long-delayed project.
Eno, who expressed displeasure over the slow pace of work at the estate, warned that the contract would be terminated if the contractor, Western Legacy Investment Limited, failed to meet the new completion targets.
The Governor gave the ultimatum on Sunday, during an unscheduled inspection of the estate shortly after attending a church service at Qua Iboe Church, Ewet Offot, Uyo.
The estate comprises 35 buildings, which the Governor said were already overdue for completion and handover to the people who had purchased the houses.
Eno directed the Commissioner for Special Duties, Mr Emem Bob, to ensure that 12 buildings are completed and handed over to the state government every month, beginning in September.
He warned that any building that fails to meet the stipulated deadline would be affected by the termination of the contract.
“I am not pleased at the state of this project. This project itself is well overdue for handing over to those who have bought these houses.
“I have just given a directive to the Commissioner for Special Duties, Mr Emem Bob, that by the end of the month, there are 35 buildings here, I want the contractor to finish 12 buildings every month, starting this September. Whichever one is not ready, I will terminate the contract”, the Governor said.
The Governor also ordered the contractor to stop the construction of porch roofs on the buildings, directing the relevant authorities to focus on accelerating the completion and delivery of the estate.
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The warning forms part of the administration’s broader insistence that contractors handling government projects across Akwa Ibom must adhere to agreed timelines and deliver projects within stipulated periods.
Eno said government projects were being executed to provide tangible benefits to the people and should not be allowed to suffer unnecessary delays after resources had been committed to them.
He, therefore, charged contractors across the state to increase the pace of work and ensure that projects were delivered within agreed timelines.
The Governor was accompanied during the inspection by Deputy Governor, Senator Akon Eyakenyi; Secretary to the State Government, Prince Enobong Uwah; Executive Assistant/Chief Delivery Advisor, Mr Aniefiok Johnson; members of the State Executive Council and other government officials.
A community leader in Ewet Offot, who welcomed the Governor’s intervention, said the ultimatum had sent a strong message to contractors and stakeholders that the government would no longer tolerate unnecessary delays in projects located within the community.
According to the middle-aged leader, who gave his name as Chief Ekemini Akpan, the estate is an important development within Ewet Offot, and its prolonged delay has generated concerns among residents and prospective homeowners.
He said the Governor’s decision to personally inspect the project and impose clear monthly targets would help restore confidence in the project, urging the contractor to take the directive seriously and deliver within the stipulated time frame.
Chief Akpan added that beyond the buildings themselves, residents would expect the government to ensure that the estate’s supporting infrastructure and other necessary facilities are delivered to make the development fully functional for its eventual occupants.
