... As Contractors Commend Governor Udom Emmanuel on Adequate Funding of Projects

Worried by the inability of contractors handling various road projects across the state to work at an expected pace commensurate with the level of funding at their disposal, the commissioner for works and fire service, Professor Eno Ibanga has urged road project contractors to device means of continuing their projects despite the protracted downpour that has obstructed construction work across the state for many months now.

This was the outcome of a meeting between the contractors and management staff of the ministry of works and fire service which took place at the Secretariat Annex, otherwise known as Dakkada Secretariat, Udo Udoma Avenue in Uyo.

In his address at the meeting with the contractors, Professor Eno Ibanga said that the meeting was convened due to his observations during his recent visit to project sites across the state. He remarked that some of the contractors have shown commitment, ingenuity, and strict adherence to professional ethos in handling the projects, while others were not doing well at all.

"Since the last release of funds that we released to over 90% of contractors across the state, I have visited a number of project sites, most of you have done well while some of you are not trying at all. I know that most of you still have a lot of money left, I doubt if there is any contractor in this state that has not been well mobilized as of today, if there is anyone, it means you have issues with your IPC.
“So we called this meeting to see if there are issues you have that the ministry can help you solve those issues, either concerning your project sites or funding or any matter at all that has an impact on your project, that is why we are here".

Speaking further, Professor Eno Ibanga who is the immediate past Vice-Chancellor of Akwa Ibom State University told the contractors that the billions of naira released to them recently cannot be allowed to lay idle because of their complaints about perennial rains that have obstructed the progress of work across the state, he charged the contractors to device some means and good work plan that could enable them to continue with their work on-site despite the unfavorable weather.

In his words, "The State Government is in high spirit to deliver projects and give succor to the people of the state, that is why funds were massively released, personally, I want us to exit a lot of the project sites, so we must devise a means to ensure that work goes on despite the rains that have refused to stop. We cannot keep waiting for the rain. Some of you have more than one project site, if you have done some work at a particular site to a level that you cannot continue because of the rains, move to another site that you can do things that you can do despite rainfall as against waiting for when there will be dryness for weeks before you can work. I do not want a situation that the funds we released are not well utilized because of rains, arrange a project management system that will enhance you to function optimally despite the weather".

Earlier in his opening remarks at the meeting, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry of works and fire service, Engr. John Itiat welcomed the attendees to the meeting, he said that the meeting was convened due to the need to ensure that both the contractors and the Ministry are on the same page concerning various ongoing projects across the state. He encouraged attendees at the meeting to be open and ready to interact with the Commissioner and his team for the best interest of the people of the state.

Also speaking on some technical issues, the Director of Civil Engineering, Engr. Akaninyene Henry expressed his concern over the conduct of some contractors. He reminded the attendees of some standard technical practice and urged them to adhere strictly to procedures of work.

Engr. Henry warned the contractors against progressing to the different levels of works without applying for and receiving written approval from the ministry after inspection. "A situation that you progress from one stage of the work to another without writing to us to come and inspect and give approval is not acceptable. All of us know that the standard practice is that when you finish a particular stage of the work, you must invite the client to come and inspect then give approval before you proceed to another level of work. Please let us work according to world best practices.

“Another issue is that of testing. Always ensure that you carry out the various tests and provide us with the results so that we insert them into your file in the ministry. This is very important because if anything happens to that project tomorrow, the test can be referred to and the cause of the problem can be detected" he said.

Responding on behalf of the contractors, Senator Ibok Essien of Gracib Investment Limited thanked Governor Udom Emmanuel for his commitment to the funding of projects across the state, he pledged on behalf of the contractors that they will redouble their effort at the project site as instructed by the Commissioner for Works and Fire Service.

Speaking further Ibok Essien thanked the Commissioner for his leadership at the ministry of works, he said “the fact that this meeting lasted for as brief as only one hour is an indication that the government and the ministry is doing well, as the commissioner rightly noted, the first meeting we had lasted over three hours because there were so many issues that the contractors raised as a result of the challenges that the contractors were facing, but today, no one even complained not even about funding because all that had been done. Let us just pray for favourable weather.

“I want to send a very big thank you to the Governor on behalf of the contractors; he has done very well for the contractors in terms of facilitating funds to execute the project. In fact someone like me I had given up that I will not go back to that site. But with the special intervention of the new leadership in this ministry, I am very glad to go back to the site and I know, that is what is happening to many of these contractors, and I give special thanks to the government and by extension the leadership of this ministry including the permanent secretary and directors”.

Speaking further, Engr. Ibok Essien encouraged his colleagues to ensure quality in their project execution. “Someone like me I take pleasure to drive around the state because I have no other state to go, we must build roads in such a way that we do not go back to those roads for maintenance or reconstruction so soon. Like the director had said, testing is very important to the work we do. There are some jobs I did for this state in 1988 and 1989, each time I drive past those places I feel glad that my work is still very useful. That is my appeal to all of us that we do projects that years to come we shall be proud of those projects”.

Other contractors including Engr. Mohammed Allas of Dubai Construction Limited also applauded the Governor and commissioner for their commitments to the funding of projects, they vowed to deliver quality jobs immediately the weather becomes favourable to road construction.

Source: Aniedi Ukoenang