‘We’ve Accepted ULO’s Withdrawal From Asaba Airport Project, Contract To Be Reawarded Again’ 

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has said that the state government has accepted the withdrawal of ULO Consultant Limited from the Asaba International Airport project.

He said that the contract for the runway would be reawarded shortly to ensure early completion of the project wilhich is very important to his administration.

According to the Governor, his administration was committed to making the airport functional and of international standard, disclosing that the contractor handling the project, had failed to meet the contractual deadline of delivering the project within the period of four months before it withdrew from continuing with the execution of the project.”

“It is important that we realise that the state is bigger than any individual, we mounted a lot of pressure on the contractor handling the project, but, with all that, the work was still very slow; we did a 50 per cent mobilization and the prohect is supposed to be completed within a period of four months,” he said,

adding, “we made the mobilization in October, 2015 but, the job is less than 25 per cent done and the contractor has pulled out.”

He continued, “we, as a government, have accepted the withdrawal of the contractor from executing the job, in few months’ time, the job will be re-awarded to a credible contractor with a track record of project delivery.”

The Governor also, disclosed that the Ministry of Works and that of Justice have invited the construction company, to a meeting to know the situation with that of Marian Babangida Way, stating that that road is important but, his administration has not been able to do much on it to avoid legal issues with the contractor who was awarded the project before his assumption of office as Governor.

He stated that his administration has done a lot in terms of road construction stating that more than 150 roads have been awarded with 60 completed and commissioned while several others are at different stages of completion.

“A lot has been done in terms of road development, 151 roads have been awarded by this administration and about 60 completed, we have commissioned some and others are awaiting commissioning,” the Governor said, noting that a lot of road projects were being executed in different parts of the state, especially, the riverine communities like Burutu, Bomadi, Oporoza, Patani, Okerenkoko, Ogulagha, Obotobo, Sokebolo, Yokri, among others.

He also, stated that the flooding in Asaba is being tackled through the construction of storm drains, disclosing that due to the multi-billion naira nature of the projects which will take away flood waters from DLA, Jesus Saves, DBS, Uwechue, and Okpanam roads, the projects will be executed in phases.

Governor Okowa used the occasion to express confidence in the ability of the state interventionist agency, the Direct Labour Agency in rehabilitating failed portions of roads in the state, saying that funds would be released to the agency for it to carry out its functions within the dry season.

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