Lalong Legacy projects in Plateau will be completed before the end of 2021, Bleneson Services Nigeria Limited, handling the projects has assured.
Mr Lawson Ngoa, President of the company, gave the assurance after inspecting some of the projects in Riyom, Jos South and Mangu Local Government Areas of the state on Wednesday.
Ngoa said that the project was awarded to his company in late 2018 and expected to be completed in 2022.
He expressed satisfaction with the level of work so far and explained that the majority of the projects have reached 70 per cent completion.
He debunked the rumour making the rounds that the projects have been abandoned, hence the rationale for the inspection.
“These projects were awarded to us in late 2018 and we are expected to complete them and handover by 2022.
“I have decided to move round to see things for myself and from what I have seen, these projects will be completed latest at the end of this year.
“Majority of the projects are 70 per cent completed.
“So, we are hitting the ground running to ensure that we complete them as soon as possible,’’ he said.
Ngoa attributed some of the delays in executing the projects to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.
He insisted that the company would deliver the projects before the specified duration.
“One of the problems we encountered was the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We lost close to one year because we had to vacate sites to adhere to the safety protocols put in place by the government.
“That contributed to the delay because we worked for only one year and three months before the outbreak.
“But we are back now and everything is in top gear to ensure these projects are completed soonest.’’
Ngoa commended Plateau government and Gov. Simon Lalong, in particular, for the vision to initiate the projects.
He then called on citizens of the state to support the government to deliver on the dividends of democracy.
He further thanked the government for the support accorded him in executing the projects and promised, not to fail.
The contractor denied the claimed that his company was owing to its sub-contractors, saying “the company is not owing any of them.’’
Lalong legacy projects are key projects initiated by the administration to impact on the lives of the people of the state.
Most of the projects, scattered all over the 17 Local Government Areas, were on critical infrastructure – education, health and human development.