Construction work has stopped on the Asaba multi-million Naira drainage project, which was awarded by the Delta State Government in 2010. A source close to the contractor, Modis Ltd, told The Tide that the company could not continue with the job, because it had run out of money.

“The company has unpaid bills for part of the job already completed and it borrowed so much money to do the job. “As it is now, the job cannot continue unless government pays some of the bills, because the company cannot borrow more to do the project,” the source who asked for anonymity said. Mr Frederick Ogbonna, an engineer and one of the managers of the company, admitted that approved certificates for completed jobs on the project had not been paid by the government. Ogbonna, however, told newsmen that the stoppage of work on the project was due to a workers’ strike over non-payment of their salaries.

“The stoppage of work is because our workers have refused to work because they are being owed by the company. “And, it is difficult for the company to meet some of its obligations now, including the workers’ salaries, because government has really not paid for some completed jobs,’’ he said.

Ogbonna said however that the project was almost 80 per cent completed and would be ready before the rainy season set in.