DOPF Hails Oborevwori On Federal Roads’ Intervention, Expresses Concern Over Hiring Of ‘Obi And Emeka’s Ltd’

The Delta Online Publishers Forum (DOPF) has expressed delight over Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s initiative to commence repair work on certain underperforming federal roads in the state.

BIGPEN NIGERIA (https://bigpenngr.com) reports that the roads in focus, including the Asaba-Benin Expressway and the Agbor-Eku Road, have been earmarked for remedial construction work for the smooth passage of the state’s motorists.

While lauding the governor’s planned intervention, DOPF urged the government to employ contractors of high competence who can provide quality work that would withstand the passage of time and offer the state good value for its investments.

This was contained in a press statement signed by DOPF Chairman, Mr. Emmanuel Enebeli, and Secretary, Mr. Shedrack Onitsha.

The statement emphasized the need to move away from the tradition of awarding contracts for political gain instead of focusing on the contractor’s ability to deliver quality work.

BIGPEN NIGERIA recalls the State Government had recently announced a N78 billion contract award to Julius Berger for the construction of three flyover bridges and road expansion in the Warri/Effurun area, which was generally applauded by Deltans.

The state government had also announced plans to carry out remedial works on the federal roads, particularly the Asaba-Benin Expressway and the Agbor-Eku Road to make them more motorable for road users in the state.

DOPF’s statement commended Governor Oborevwori’s response to the public outcry over the poor state of the federal roads.

They however urged the government to verify the competence of the contractor assigned to handle the remedial work.

The statement expressed satisfaction with the award of the Warri/Effurun construction contract to Julius Berger, a renowned construction company but raised concerns about the engagement of a local contractor with a history of substandard work, who is reportedly slated to start repair work on the Agbor/Eku federal Roads soon.

The Forum voiced its worry over the said contractor, given the controversy surrounding his company’s inadequate management of the N350M repair project on a portion of the Effurun/Sapele Road.

The poor handling of the project was said to have led to a halt in state intervention on federal roads by then Minister of Works.

The statement reads; “While DOPF salutes the government for this planned remedial works on federal roads, particularly the Asaba-Benin Expressway and the Agbor-Eku Road to make them motorable for road users in the state, we also charge the government to do due diligence on the competency of the contracting firm to undertake such remedial work.

“We were elated when we heard that a contract was awarded to a reputable construction company, Julius Berger for the construction of three flyover bridges and road expansion in the Warri/Effurun megalopolis, and we had thought that Delta State had moved past the era of awarding major road contracts to Obi and Emeka ltd.

“While we are not against patronage of local indigenous firms that have a track record of delivering quality jobs, we believe that consideration should be more on the competency of the firm than on political affinity, which has kept the state in motion without movement in the past efforts at delivering enduring projects that can stand the taste of time.

“We have it on good authority, sadly that one of the local contractors who is a major party loyalist with a record of poorly executed jobs has been mandated to carry out repair work on the Agbor/Eku Road, and will soon mobilize to site to commence work immediately before October.

“We are particularly concerned about this contractor considering the controversy surrounding his company’s poor handling of the N350M repair of a failed portion of Effurun/Sapele Road leading to the then Minister of Works placing an embargo on state intervention on federal roads.

“Deltans have suffered for many years now on account of this failed Agbor/Eku Road and its repair should bring relief to our people, hence the government should put politics aside in the choice of the contractor in order not to relapse into a deeper mess a few months from now.”