RSG Blames Road Construction Delays On Litigations

The delay in the construction of some road projects in Rivers State has been attributed to litigations and professional advice.
The Commissioner for Works, Hon. Victor Giadom, made this known when members of the Nigeria Institute of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV) paid him a courtesy visit in his office recently.
Giadom said the various litigations against the ministry by property owners would have been averted if there had been proper synergy, good counselling and better relationship between the ministry and the institute, and called on members to give the ministry proper professional advice that would prevent litigations by property owners.
According to him, although, when the valuations were made by members of the Institute, some encouraged property owners to engage the Ministry in a series of litigations, pointing out that Rivers State has a short period of construction in each year because of its geographical terrain and that the litigations have delayed the execution of road projects in the state.
He, however, assured members of the Institute that his ministry would continue to partner with them in ensuring that, “you deliver good expertise in the business of valuation and payment of compensation to property owners which are key aspects of our services”.
The works commissioner, however, decried the attitude of some members of the Institute for inciting property owners against the ministry in litigations for claims as a result of economic reasons, and enjoined them to maintain proper standard in the practice of their profession.
Earlier in his speech, the State Branch chairman of the institute, Mr. Dapo Olaiya expressed gratitude to the ministry for granting their members opportunity to be involved in road development services in the state, and opined that the visit was also an opportunity for them to inform him of their recent election of new executive council members and appealed to him to attend as a special guest, during the inauguration.
Olaiya apologised for the litigations which arose as a result of sharp practices of some of their members and further hinted that the inauguration would give them an opportunity to discuss on current professional practices in the Institute.

Collins Barasimeye

Fela Durotoye, MD/CEO, Visible Impact (left) delivering the gospel during the 4th International Christian Business Exhibition and Conference, IC-BEC 2014 at Atrium along Stadium Road, Port Harcourt, recently. Photo: Egberi A. Sampson