Ondo re-awards N12bn road project for N8bn

The Ondo state executive council on Tuesday, re-awarded the 28.5 kilometres Aboto- Atijere Road in Ilaje Local Government Area of the state for N8 billion as against the initial amount of N12 billion.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Lands, Works and Infrastructure, Aminu Raimi, made this disclosure at a press briefing after the state executive council meeting.

He explained that the road project was inherited from the immediate past administration, which had awarded the contract to Zhi Jiang Construction Limited in October 2016 for N12 billion on a contractor/client financing arrangement.

“This administration reappraised and re-valued the project and converted it to client financing, which saved the state N4 billion after the contract sum was brought down to N8 billion.

“It was re-awarded to the same contractor, but when the government realised that he refused to mobilise to site, the second bidder, LEE Fakino Nigeria Limited, was invited and went through the tenders board where it got the contract.

“So the contractor will mobilise to site as soon as the weather is clear and as usual, payment will be made on the milestone achieved,” he said.

Raimi also disclosed that some school projects in Ikorigho Ugbo in Ilaje Local Government Area of the state, which were to be constructed as model schools awarded by the last administration, have been reviewed.

According to him, the projects will now be in the form of classroom blocks with concrete walkways to allow pupils have access to the schools.

Also, he added that the selection of the former National Deputy President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Rotimi Obamuagun, as the traditional ruler of Imoru in Ose Local Government Area was approved by the state government.

Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mrs. Lola Fagbemi, made this disclosure at a press briefing in Akure, after the state executive council meeting.

Fagbemi explained that the emergence of Obamuagun as the new Olumoru-elect followed the government’s standing policy not to interfere in the selection of traditional rulers in the state.

She said that the Olumoru-elect secured the highest number of votes of the kingmakers during the selection process. (NAN)