Ebonyi Terminates N2b Road Projects

Four major road projects worth N2 billion, awarded by the Ebonyi Government between 2007 and 2010 have been terminated.

The State Government has also announced the completion of 20 similar road and bridge projects.

Dr Paul Okorie, Commissioner for Works and Transport who disclosed this during  a news conference on Wednesday in Abakaliki said that the contracts were terminated for undue delay in meeting the stipulated time and for doing shoddy jobs.

“The terminated road projects include the construction of the Onuebonyi-Sharon-Iboko 16.4km road, Ukwuachi-Nweke-Isi-Offia-Osegbe 25 km road, Okwor Ngbo-Umuoguduoshia-Ebonyi River 8 km road and the Akpaka Junction-Okpochiri/Ejilewe-Ogbuba-Okwor Market 29 km Road,’’ he said.

According to him, the ministry has also penciled down some other projects for termination and this will be made known as soon as approval is obtained from the governor.

He said that 20 out of the 33 road and bridge projects embarked upon by the Elechi administration had been completed and were already in use by motorist, adding that the projects were awarded at a cost of N31.79 billion.

According to the commissioner, a total of 24 roads and a bridge project were inherited from the past administration at a cost of N22.21 billion.

“These inherited projects include 21 road projects and three bridges. The ministry also completed two major projects by direct labour, amounting to over N858 million.

“They include the asphalting of Abakaliki Township Stadium and the Okposi Umuaghara internal roads,’’ he said.

Okorie also explained that the State Government had paid about N25.8 billion to contractors for various jobs executed on road and bridge projects.

He, however, advised contractors handling government projects in the state to take their jobs seriously as the government would not tolerate delay or accept shoddy jobs.

Mr. Augustine Uro, Director Civil Engineering in the ministry said that reconstruction work on the first phase of the Afikpo-Unwanna-Erei-Ohafia federal highway had been completed at a cost of N498.32 million.

He said that the Ubeyi and Hara Bridges had been reconstructed with two-kilometre road realignments.