CONTRACT PROBE: CONTRACTORS LOBBY GOVERNOR UGWUANYI FOR SOFT LANDING

The actions of the contractors was believed in many quarters as a way to seek his(Governor) favour in providing soft landing for them, as the Enugu State House of Assembly had earlier pronounced need to probe the contracts awarded to them, over bad quality and sub standard

The House committee on Works, Housing and Urban Development as part of it’s oversight functions, said, they won’t tolerate any act aimed at short changing the State, and the  Committee Chairman and member representing Ezeagu constituency, Hon. Chima Obieze enumerated steps to hold whoever is found wanting responsible.

“The first step is to encourage the members of the public to come forward with detailed reports of any project done in their area in the last 5 years that failed. These projects includes; roads, office buildings and quarters.

“After getting these reports from the public, the next step will be to request for the bill of quantity from the supervising agency or Ministry. The next thing will be to visit the site of these projects and see what’s on ground and juxtapose it with what’s on the bill of quantity. Contractors would be summoned where we feel that one didn’t comply with what’s on the contract document, so he can explain the discrepancies.”

Penpushing further reports that also speaking the member representing Nsukka West, Dr. Ugwuera Emma said; “not only the contractors that handled the job will have questions to answer, even the supervising agency or Ministry will have to explain to Ndi Enugu, what happened. We can’t fold our hands and watch such monies appropriated for projects misappropriated.”

 “As much as we are trying to checkmate the contractors that did these projects, it will also be of great benefit if we also look at some of the activities of some members of the public,” another member of the Committee and the member representing Uzo-Uwani constituency in the house, Dr. Josephat Okika said

The lawmaker called on proper sensitization of the members of the public in helping to keep these infrastructure safe, while another speaker at the media parley, Rt. Hon. Chinedu Nwamba, representing Nsukka East Constituency said that the committee will “carry out this particular function that’s of great public importance without fear or favour and not minding whose ox is gored. This is not in any way a witch-hunt but effort by the house to ensure that Enugu State funds aren’t diverted by any individual(s).

The committee then called on the members of the public to submit their written reports between 10th to 20th of December, 2019 to; The Office of the Chairman, House Committee on Works, Room 212, Enugu State House of Assembly Complex or via email; [email protected], stressing that the exercise is going to be a win-win situation for the government and good people of Enugu State because people can’t be collecting money for projects and fail to deliver them.

The Governor  drew creams of dignitaries to the Church, which  include his Deputy, Cecilia Ezeilo, Speaker of House of Assembly, Edward Ubosi and Chief Judge of the State, Hon Justice Pricilia Emeghelu  among others .