Relief came to the people of Ikpide-Irri riverine community, Isoko South local government area of Delta state following the inspection visit of the state Commissioner for Works, Mr. James Aguoye on the 3.05 kilometers phase 1 road being executed by the PORTPLUS limited.
The ongoing Ikpide-Irri road project awarded early last year by governor Ifeanyi Okowa has being under controversy over petitions to the state governor by some indigenes and a Pan Isoko group, Isoko Monitoring Group, (IMG), complaining of some defects and substandard materials being used by the company, especially the culverts, which led to the collapsed of some culverts.
While frowning at the poor standard of the project in some areas, the commissioner, directed the contracting firm, Portplus Nigeria limited, to immediately remove the failed culverts on the road and thoroughly put others to test.
Mr. Augoye, who summoned the contractor to appear in his office next week in Asaba, used the medium to call on all contractors handling road projects in the state to adhere strictly to specifications and avoid cutting corners in the execution of their jobs, explaining that the inspection of the project was to assess and evaluate the quality of job done so far on the road following petitions and allegations of shoddy job done by the contracting firm.
The Works commissioner who reiterated governments commitment to providing sustainable road infrastructure, assured that all anomalies detected in the execution of the project would be corrected immediately.
Mr. Aguoye commended the people of Ikpide-Irri community for exhibiting maturity and restraint in directing their observations and complaints to the appropriate authority even as he charged other communities to take charge of projects sited in their communities and report any anomalies noticed to the Ministry for necessary actions.
He also advised contracting firms handling road projects to always engage youths of their host communities on their project sites as a way of building and sustaining cordial relationships.
Earlier, the President of the Isoko Monitoring Group, (IMG), Mr. Sebastian Agbefe, commended the works commissioner for his prompt response to their petition.
Also speaking, the President General of Ikpide-Irri, Mr. Michael Omojefe, thanked the state government for the road construction.
On his part, a Lead Consultant in Quality Management System and Project Assessment Processes, who led the Isoko Monitoring Group, (IMG), team to join the commissioner for the inspection exercise, Mr. Darlington Otete, identified some of the failed areas in the project and pointed the need for a standard job.
Mr. Otete however, commended the commissioner appealed to the state government to direct the contractor handling the project, Portplus Limited worm according to standard.
