Rivers State Government has expressed unhappiness over the pace of work by the contractor, Raffoul Nigeria Limited handling the Ogoni-Andoni-Opobo Unity Road.
The state Governor, Nyesom Wike, who inspected the road at the weekend in the company of some of his appointees, decried the work rate despite paying 80 per cent of the contract sum.
The governor in a statement signed by his Commissioner for Information and Communications, Paulinus Nsirim, said he expected the contractor to have completed the Opono axis of the road.
He said: “We have paid over 80 per cent of the contract sum and we expect that at least the Opobo axis of the Road ought to have been completed.
“I am not also happy with the level of work at the Andoni axis of the Road which links Ngo and Ikuru Towns. On our part, we are committed to complete the long abandoned project to enable the people of Opobo and Andoni travel to their homes by Road.
“Let me appeal to the contractor to expedite work on the Road. I can assure you that funding will not be a hindrance to the completion of the project. For me, this is a signature project that has been abandoned for so many decades now. But my administration will make history by completing it.
“We cannot run away from our responsibility. We must make sure that the people of Opobo and Andoni drive home by Road. There is quite a lot to be done because of the terrain, but that should not be an excuse on the side of the contractor.
“The contractor has assured us that by December this year, the Opobo axis of the Road will be completed while the Andoni axis which will link Ngo and Ikuru Towns will be completed in March next year.
“I will not accept any further excuses. That is why the contractor must expedite work and mobilize more resources to ensure that the project is delivered. Government is willing to pay the outstanding amount so that the people can drive to their homes”.
Responding, the Managing Director of Raffoul Nigeria Limited, Mr. Elias Raffoul assured the governor that the Opobo axis of the Road would be completed by December 2020.
He also said that the Andoni axis of the road would be delivered by March, 2021.
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