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From Joe Obukata Ogbodu, Warri
Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, has described as unacceptable the poor handling of the Technical College Project in Irri community in Isoko South Local Government Area, summoning the project contractor and consultant to appear before him.
Governor Oborevwori during an unscheduled inspection of the project expressed displeasure over the slow nature of the project.
A signpost at the project site linked the project to Imaty-Doma Consults Nigeria Limited as multiple sources also traced the job to a former member of the Delta State House and contractor Ross Uredi, CEO of Rossurd.
The project, which was initially awarded under former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s administration, has recently faced intense scrutiny.
Governor Oborevwori who paid an unscheduled inspection visit to the site, expressing deep displeasure over the slow pace and demanding explanations for the long delay in its completion.
The governor lamented that the contract, awarded in 2019, had remained unfinished after seven years.
Received at the project site by the Chairman of Isoko South Local Government Council, Warri Ovoke Friday; the Odio-Ologbo of Irri Kingdom, Simon Wajutome Odhomo, Igbogidi I and former President-General of the Isoko Development Union (IDU), Chief Iduh Amadhe, Oborevwori said the contractor had failed to demonstrate sufficient competence and commitment to deliver the project on record time.
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Speaking with journalists after inspecting the project, the governor said he was not convinced by assurances that the project would be completed by August this year, noting that significant aspects of the work were yet to commence.
Oborevwori said; “I spoke with the commissioner and he told me he had reached out to the contractor, who said the project would be completed by August. But from what I have seen here, I am not sure that the timeline is realistic.
“The workshop has not even started. The landscaping will also take some time, and some sections of the roofing are still incomplete. What you see in front is different from what is behind the buildings, so I decided to inspect the entire project.
“I am not satisfied with what I have seen. The project was awarded in 2019, and it is a shame that after seven years it is still not completed. The question is, what is holding the contractor back?.
“If people are serious about a project, you will see them actively working on site. That was not the case here. I did not even find the contractor or workers on site. I am not satisfied with the work”.
The governor said he would summon both the contractor and the project consultant to account for the prolonged delay, and also blamed the delay on poor supervision, saying he had hoped the institution would begin admitting students by September, but delays had made that impossible.
“I will invite the contractor and the consultant because the consultant is not doing enough. The consultant is supposed to keep the client informed about the progress of work and ensure proper supervision. From what I have seen, the supervision is very poor and I am not satisfied,” the governor stated.
He reiterated his administration’s commitment to ensuring that contractors handling government projects deliver quality work within approved timelines, stressing that abandoned or delayed projects would no longer be tolerated.
