Why? Nddc Terminates Ambrose Ali University Hostel Contract

BEVERLY HILLS, April 22, (THEWILL) – The Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, has ordered the commencement of legal processes towards terminating the contract for the construction of a 522-bed space prototype hostel at the Ambrose Ali University in Ekpoma, Edo State.

A statement by the commission, signed by Chijioke Amu-Nnadi, Head, Corporate Affairs, revealed that Semenitari gave the directive after inspecting the hostel project, at the Ekpoma campus of the university, in the company of other directors of the Commission, adding that the hostel project would be re-assigned to a more competent contractor.

The NDDC boss said she was dismayed that a contract which was awarded to Unibright ENGRG Limited since 2004 had barely reached 25 per cent completion.

“Contractors like this should not be allowed to go free. This is unfathomable. By next week I want to sign the termination letter for this contract so that it can be re-assigned to a contractor who is ready to work to get the job back on track,” she declared.

Semenitari apologised to the university community for the poor performance of the contractor whom she said had gone contrary to the standards of the NDDC. She acknowledged the efforts of the university authority in raising concerns about the appalling attitude of the contractor through letters to the Commission.

The NDDC team also inspected other projects in Edo State, including the model comprehensive health centre at Obozogbe-Niro in Orhionmwon Local Government Area; the 23-kilometre Obozogbe-Abudu Road; the Market Street to Wire Road in Ubiaja, Esan South-East LGA; the 31-kilometre Ekpoma-Uhiele-Ujiogba Road in Esan West LGA and the Major General Esekhiagbe Road in Irrua, Esan Central LGA. Equally inspected on Thursday was the 32-kilometre Udo-Ofunama Road in Ovia South-West LGA, described by Mrs. Semenitari as a historic regional road.

Giving her impressions after the two-day inspections, the NDDC Acting MD said that she had seen some good and some bad performances by the contractors.

As a follow-up to the inspections, Semenitari said that the NDDC had arranged meetings with some of the contractors that had shown some prospects in delivering on their projects.

“We have asked them to come and meet with us at the head office in Port Harcourt, where we will have serious discussions and hope that they will thereafter do the right things. Where they don't, we will take other measures to ensure that we compel them to keep to our standards.

“For those like the contractor for the Ambrose Ali University, we have no option than to terminate and re-award the contract,” she said.