Okpebholo’s assets committee begins verification of ongoing road projects

Credit: NAN

The Edo Assets Verification Committee set up by Governor Monday Okpebholo has begun verification of all ongoing road projects in the state.

The verification is a part of the committee’s mandate to ascertain the true status of the inherited projects from the administration of former Governor Godwin Obaseki.

At the inspection of projects on Tuesday in Benin City, members of the subcommittee on Physical Assets and Infrastructure said the exercise was to ensure that what was presented to the Okpebholo’s led government was correct and in order.

The chairman of the subcommittee, Patrick Obahiagbon, who led other members to various road construction sites, said that the exercise was also to ensure that road projects awarded by the past government were legitimate.

Obahiagbon said it was necessary to confirm that work was ongoing and that the amounts the projects were awarded for matched the length of the roads.

He also emphasised that the work should meet specifications and contract terms.

Other members of the subcommittee included Abass Braimah, Prince Kassim Afegbua, Mrs Kenny Okojie, Patrick Unopah and Patrick Ikhariale.

Some of the ongoing road projects inspected within the Benin metropolis included the 5-kilometre road stretch from Okada Avenue to Commercial Avenue, starting from the Sapele Road junction near the NNPC mega filling station.

Obahiagbon disclosed that the road project was awarded by the immediate past government to Stefanutti Stocks Wapel Limited at the cost of N11.3 billion, with N2.8 billion paid as mobilisation to the construction firm.

The committee also inspected the N14 billion, 7.38-kilometer dual carriageway awarded to Gladtrico International Limited being constructed at Evbuodia, Ulemon, crossing several communities to Upper Ekenwa road.

The project manager of the firm, Engr. Tiamiyu Ibrahim, told the committee that N4.5 billion had been paid as mobilisation to the company, adding that that the completion date for the work was February, 2025.

At Adesuwa Street, the committee expressed concern over what it described as the outrageous N4.5 billion cost for 8.9 kilometers of 14 inner roads around Adesuwa, off Airport Road, Benin City.

The 2.3-kilometre road awarded to Nsik Engineering Company Limited at First Ugbor faced scrutiny by the committee due to the non-presence of the contractor on site.

The committee, which also visited the Owina/Evbuotubu, Erunmwunse, Children Medical Road, and Okpe Roads, bemoaned the advanced payment of N5 billion to Stefanutti Stocks Wapel Limited, the firm handling the 8.9-kilometre roads.

The committee noted that although the contract was awarded at the cost of N19 billion, only 15 percent of the work had been completed, despite the N5 billion advance payment.

Speaking to newsmen shortly after the inspection, Obahiagbon decried the lack of patronage for indigenous contractors in the state by the immediate past government in awarding road contracts.

Obahiagbon disclosed that of the projects visited, only one was awarded to a firm owned by an Edo indigene, Gladtrico International Limited.

He also added that the work done by Gladtrico International Limited was far better than those by non-indigenous firms.

While describing it as capital flight, Obahiagbon emphasised the need to patronise local contractors in the execution of projects related to internal road rehabilitation.

“We have three fundamental observations; first, we do not see 30 percent of the contract work done here thus far; what we have seen is far less.

“Overall, we’re not saying that any Nigerian is unqualified to bid, win, and execute such jobs in any part of Edo, but indigenous contractors should be given priority.

“There seems to have been a lot of capital flight in the state when we know there are competent contractors in Edo that could have done the job,” he said.

NAN