By Raymond Ozoji, Awka
The Anambra State House of Assembly Committee on Works has expressed reservations over the type of road projects some contractors are executing in the state after being mobilised with tax payers’ money.
The Committee’s oversight functions revealed that while some other contractors obeyed the contractual obligations as it concerned specifications and texture of the roads, others indulged in sharp practices as evident in the jobs they are carrying out.
Chairman of the Committee on Works and lawmaker representing Njikoka 1 state constituency Rt. Hon. Barr. Timothy Ifedioramma, who spoke with our correspondent exclusively said the Committee will expose every contractor that will contravene the 20 years agreement on roads being constructed across Anambra state.
Ifedioramma disclosed that the Committee has made some findings which he noted were not palatable even though he said they have made their report and sent to the Ministry of Works for corresponding actions.
He explained that there was need for such reports especially as some of the contractors indulged in sharp practices, stressing that as a responsible Committee, it is incumbent on them to ensure that every tax payer’s Kobo being spent on road construction yielded the expected results.
The Works Committee chairman maintained that it’s a good intention that Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo is trying to reconstruct and give a facelift to roads in Anambra; that to that extent contractors must account for every penny given to them to construct roads for Ndi-Anambra.
Ifedioramma said, “We have visited so many construction sites to see if the contractual agreements are being followed strictly. Although the good thing about the contracts entered into with these construction companies is that they are giving 20 years guarantee.
“However we will not just rely on the 20 years guarantee that they have committed themselves to; they must ensure that what they are doing is in consonance with specifications.”
He said some of the roads are not in agreement with the 20 years guarantee but he has spoken to the Works Commissioner and he has noted such areas, adding that the Works Commissioner was furious about such reports. That the Commissioner promised to conduct on the spot assessment of the areas discovered by the Committee and proffer sanctions where necessary.
The lawmaker said, “I had promised Ndi-Anambra to blacklist contractors who are engaged in sharp practices and I am not going back from it. However as a responsible lawmaker and as a lawyer, I want to follow due process to ensure that the erring contractors are given ample opportunity to correct themselves or better still defend themselves as to why they did what they did.
“So I want to give that benefit of doubt to the contractors and the Ministry of Works to see that those observations are corrected but where the contractors have been confronted and they still did not do what they are supposed to do, then I will let Ndi-Anambra know what has happened and the contractors involved.
“I also owe it to Ndi-Anambra to mention contractors that have done well. I will not mention the roads these shoddy jobs are for now but I assure the citizens that they will be mentioned and it is up to government to know what to do with the contractors.”