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Joe Effiong, Uyo
Any contractor displaying lack of capacity and insufficient manpower to execute road contracts given to them would have such contract revoked forthwith.
The Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Works, Mr Ephraim Inyang-Eyen who gave this warning during of ongoing project under his ministry, particularly expressed his displeasure over the slow pace of work on the 15.1km Odio Road in Eket LGA, which traverses Ndoneyo and Ikot Akpatek in ONNA,
The commissioner said his ministry would not hesitate to revoke the contract if the construction firm VKS, handling the project, failed to comply with the articles of agreement.
Inyang-Eyen who advised contractors to live above board as all his inspections were unscheduled, said the state government had already mobilised contractors for them to employ youths of the area, to move to site and speed up work, noting that no contractor would be allowed to derail the projects of the administration.
He said the Udom Emmanuel administration was determined to speed up the completion of all road projects to ease the hardship being faced by residents.
The commissioner who was in company with the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Works, John Itiat, directors in the ministry as well as the chairman of the state’s Civil Service Commission, Mr Sunny Akpadiaha, himself a native of the area, urged VKS contractors to boost its their output in order to meet up with the government deadline.
“We want the contractors to show competence, move more equipment and personnel to site. Failure to comply, government will revoke the contract,” he said.
He explained that the massive construction of roads and drainages across the agrarian communities and hinterland would speed up socio-economic development of the people, stressing that the state government would discourage anything capable of disrupting the execution of projects as well as their specifications.
He, however, appealed to residents and motorists plying the road to exercise patience, and gave the assurance that government was doing all within it’s capacity to ensure all projects were completed before the end of the administration.
Youths of the area who came out en-masse to welcome the inspection team, said they would continue to protect the company’s equipment and cooperate with them.
