‘Ebonyi spent N33bn on federal roads, others’

The Ebonyi State Commissioner for Works and Transport, Engr. Fidelis Nweze, Tuesday said the state government spent N3 billion for construction of federal government roads and other projects.

Engr. Nweze, who disclosed this to journalists in Abakaliki, the state capital, noted that the amount was spent on the federal government roads between the last administration in the state and the present one.

Nweze said the state had defended the amount before the federal government and the National Assembly for reimbursement and that Ebonyi state has been included as one of the states the federal government will reimburse for funds spent on federal roads.

“Between last administration and this administration, we have committed about N33 billion for constructing federal roads within Ebonyi state.

“We have drawn the attention of federal government, the federal executive council, Mr. President and the senate to this, and we have been able to defend that and Ebonyi state is among states that the federal government will be reimbursing.

“We have been able to achieve 75 percent of the roads within the capital city and we are not yet done. Construction is a continuous process”, he said.

He announced that some contracts have been terminated by the state government for contract violation and the contracts have been rewarded.

Nweze said: “Yes, if a contractor is not doing well, we have no other option than to terminate the road in line with the contract agreement. Nijukrane Nig. Ltd did not perform, when we awarded to them 28.5km road from Ezzama to Isu Onicha LGA road.

That contract was awarded in February 2016 and they were supposed to finish that project within 18 months. One year, they were unable to do anything”.

“A year after the contract was awarded of which the contractor did not do up to 3km of the road, we had no option than to revoke the contract in line with the contract agreement and follow due process to terminate the contract and that is why we awarded it to another contractor. That work is about 95% completion within one year.

“That same thing, Ntezi/Agba/Isu road was awarded to Tek Nig Ltd. They couldn’t do anything and we terminated the contract. We have advertised the job ready for the award which will happen within one month.

So, we terminate, we re-award to make sure we don’t tell stories to the electorate, the people that brought us to power”, he added.

The Commissioner revealed that the state government has constructed over 80 roads in the state, adding that it will commence construction of more roads after the raining season.