Controversy Trails N736m Road Contract In Delta Over Shoddy Project Execution

Controversy is trailing the 6.611km road project currently being executed in Ikpide-Irri, a sleepy riverine community in Isoko South local government area of Delta state over alleged shoddy job execution by the contractor handling the project.

A petition made available to BigPen Online shows Governor Ifeanyi Okowa awarded the project sometime early 2017 to PORTPLUS Nigeria Limited owned by one Mr. Immanuel Omoefe, said to be a friend of the governor.

The contractor who is also an indigene  of the community had incorporated the company in which he secured the contract in 2004 with registration number (RC No 607566) as a Marine Logistics and Support Services provider.

The petitioners alleged that the road project which the Marine Logistics and Support Services company is doing was being executed with substandard materials.

The petitioners had raised the alarm about the rods and other materials being used in the project owing to the failure of the contractor to adhere to the specification in the drawings and Bill Of Quantity, (BOQ) of the road project.

The petition which was signed by Mr. C.F. Ebu, counsel to the petitioners threatened to drag the contractor before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) and other anti-graft agencies if he fails to adhere to the Bill Of Quantity, (BOQ) and the drawings of the project.

Entitled; “Re:Construction Of Ikpide-Irri Township Roads: Protest Against The Substandard Job And Call For Strict Adherence To The Bill Of Quantity”, the petition was also forwarded to the state commissioner for works, Commissioner of Police, State Director, SSS, member representing constituency 2 in the state house of Assembly, Orezi Esievo, Chairman, Isoko South local government area, President General, Isoko Development Union, (IDU) among others.

It read in parts; “It is our information that the construction of Ikpide-Irri township roads contract was awarded to PORTPLUS limited at the sum of N736, 404, 555.60. It is our information that the length of the road is 6.611km and drain length is 2.500km.

“In a fact finding mission with a team of Engineers, it was obviously discovered that the road was not being constructed according to the specification of the Bill Of Quantity (BOQ) and engineering drawings standard as a result of that, the tendency of the road project to failure soon will be imminent.

“We are using this medium to appeal to you as follows: That the drains should be reconstructed and on both sides with its normal length and depth of 750mm×750×150mm thick using the normal materials (Y 10mm dia rods specified in the original Bill Of Quantity (BOQ) and the drawings.

“That the converts should be reconstructed because the converts construction was not met as rods used was 10mm at interval of 300mm instead of 16mm at interval of 150mm spacing specified in the drawings and the original Bill Of Quantity (BOQ) and concrete mixed was very poor. Also the size specified in the drawings was not professionally followed.

“That the stone base filling should be revisited because the filling height laid was 50mm and not in conformance with 150mm thick stone base that was specified on the drawings and Bill Of Quantity (BOQ).

“We therefore cautioned that the contractor handling the road project follows what was specified on the Bill Of Quantity and standards of road construction process to make the road durable. Note that any denigration from the above stated demands shall leave us with no other option than to invite anti-graft agencies into the contract.” the petition said.

Meanwhile, an anti corruption group, Isoko Monitoring Group, (IMG), has warned the contracting firm to adhere to the Bill Of Quantity and professionalism in the roads construction, otherwise be prepared to face the EFCC.

A statement on Thursday by its President, Mr. Sabastine Agbefe, expressed dismay that a marine company that has no history of road construction anywhere was awarded a contract of almost a billion naira by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.

Chairman and CEO of PORTPLUS Nigeria Limited, Mr. Immanuel Omoefe didn’t respond to calls when contacted by one of our correspondent but the project site engineer, who simply identified himself as Frank Nnamdi Ajoku, denied the claims that substandard materials was being used for the project.

Hear him, “We are working according to the Bill Of Quantity. Though we did one side drain according to the BOQ, but because of the terrain, it would have been better to construct two sides drainages in the community.”

State commissioner for works, Mr. James Augoye, couldn’t pick several calls to his mobile but a Director in the Ministry who pleaded for anonymity disclosed that the state governor has directed a team of engineers from the Ministry to visit the site to inspect the standard of job done so far.

Recalls that part of the culverts constructed few weeks ago collapsed on Tuesday in the presence of the team from the Ministry of Works, Asaba, who earlier visited the site.

The site engineer, Mr. Frank Nnamdi Ajoku had informed the officials of the Ministry of Works that the culverts were constructed with 16mm rods as specified on the BOQ and the drawings but immediately they left the scene one of the culverts collapsed because they reportedly used 10mm rods for the culvert construction.