The Permanent Secretary, Ecological Project Office, Malam Shehu Ibrahim, has threatened to sanction contractors who fail to meet up with the contractual agreements and timelines for the completion of their Projects.
He said that the projects are time bound because of the seasonal flooding experienced in the country annually.
Malam Shehu made this known during an on-the-spot inspection tour of projects in Kwara and Lagos States. Sites visited were; Asa River/Isale Koko Erosion and Flood Control Project, Ilorin, Kwara State and the Dredging and Channelization of Tejuosho (NTA) Canal Railway works at Tejuosho, Surulere, Lagos State.
At the Tejuosho site, the Permanent Secretary, expressed displeasure over the slow pace of work and maintained that there must be visible impact on government resources expended on Ecological interventions across the country.
“We have already summoned the contractor to the office to come and explain some of the reasons why we have delay. “When he comes to the office, we will sit down and have proper discussion on the way forward”.
Malam Shehu regretted that the project, which was supposed to be completed within one year of award, has taken almost 3 years with not more than 55% completion. He further expressed sadness that the project that was expected to ameliorate the flooding issue within and around Tejuosho and bring succor to the residents has not been achieved due to the delay in the project execution and delivery.
The Permanent Secretary promised to intensify his monitoring program on all EPO on-going projects across the country.
At Ilorin, Kwara State, Malam Ibrahim inspected the 4km Asa River/Isale Koko project and disclosed that the over 20 years of the history of flooding in the area has come to an end with the intervention of the Federal Government through EPO.
According to him, “we are happy that the problems has reduced in the last two to three years when the Federal Government put up measures of erosion and flood control through the project,” adding that the project is positioned to handle the threats posed by the river and its offshoots, causing untold hardship to residents every year.
The major works to be executed under the contract involves the dredging and desilting of the canal as well as the channelization and construction of retaining walls and drainage channels.
