Contractors panic as NDDC tours projects

By Jimitota ONOYUME

PORTt Harcourt - The newly appointed Acting Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission, Mrs. Chris Atako, has put contractors on their toes, as she expressed disapproval with the quality of some of the jobs being done.

At the students’ hostel project constructed by the Commission at the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Nkpolu, Rivers state, Atako, who was visibly angry with the quality of the ‘job, told the contractor that he had to shore up the quality.

She said that she had no option than to condemn what she saw when it was clear that it did not meet the contract specifications.

“I am disappointed with the standard of job, this contractor has no competence to handle this job, and I direct that you correct all the defects.  We are particular about standard and finishing, there is no compromise,”

She therefore directed the Commission’s engineers supervising the project to work with the contractor to see that the errors identified were corrected.

Furthermore, Atako disclosed that the Commission planned to rehabilitate a rice mill project that it constructed some years ago at Elele Alimini, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State.

She said the mill has capacity to produce 180 tonnes of rice per day, noting that the mill was built in 2010, but had not been put to use. As such she said the NDDC wants to revive the mill and bring it to production.

“Besides the rice project is in accordance with Mr. President’s transformation agenda which emphasizes wealth and job creation through agriculture” she said.

She commended the Rivers State Government for its willingness to partner with the commission on the project and urged both the contractor and the commission’s directorate of agriculture to work out the details on the way forward.

“We have a rice mill founded on the strength of partnership, for us partnership is a way to maximize resources, minimize waste and eradicate duplication. We shall always leverage this in our development agenda.”

Similarly, at the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Atako gave the contractor handling a prototype hostel project, six weeks to complete the job. Upon the inspection of the job, she told the contractor should ensure he stuck to the specifications.

“One thing I always advice our contractors is that they should tell us the truth. There is no point giving us the impression that they will finish a job at a particular time, and when we go there on the promised date the work is not done,” she admonished.

Atako, who expressed satisfaction with the job, however charged the contractor to replace some broken tiles and give the wardrobe a face lift.

At Otuoke, the home town of President Goodluck Jonathan, where the NDDC had completed a modern Corpers’ lodge for NYSC corps members serving in the area, Atako expressed satisfaction with the job.