BEVERLY HILLS, July 2, (THEWILL) – The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Pastor Usani Usani has condemned the abandonment of an erosion site at Nkwoagu Isiochi in Umunneochi Local Government Council of Abia State six years after a contract for repairs to be carried out on the site was awarded.
He also expressed regret over the inability of the ministry that awarded the contract six years ago to follow up the contract to ascertain the quality of work done.
Speaking while on a fact-finding visit to a gully erosion site , the minister said, “I have seen the devastating hazards occasioned by this erosion and I am certain that anyone who sets his eyes on it will want to make a commitment to think about a remedy.
“That is how I feel. It is somewhat disheartening to understand that a contract was awarded in the year 2010 and six years after, we are where we are now.
“It shows that the awarding agency, which is the ministry, was not responsible enough as to check the contractor or pay due attention to ensure that in six years, a project like this is conclusively handled and in good state.
“For us now in the ministry, this is an ongoing project and we have our determination not to allow any ongoing project to be abandoned and this is the reason we have the nature of budgeting that is now introduced.
“It doesn’t matter what manner of project, but our duty is to ensure that all projects will be attended to until they are finished.”
Usani noted that the level of the gully erosion, which was already threatening to cut off part of the road deserved immediate attention.
He promised to liaise with the acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, to ensure that the project was on the frontline in resource allocation to projects.
The minister, however, stated that the indiscriminate bombing of oil installations by militants in the Niger Delta region may slow down the rate at which the Federal Government would want to complete ongoing projects across the country.
He expressed the commitment of the Federal Government towards completing all ongoing projects in the country.
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