Delta Assembly House Committee Beret ULO Airport, As Augoye Gives Contractors 4-Days Ultimatum

Delta State House of Assembly (DTHA), House Committee on Works led by Evans Iwhurie, has lambasted the contractor handling the rehabilitation of the Asaba Airport runway, Uche Okpunor, the Chief Executive Officer, CEO) of U.L.O Construction Company, describing him as an incompetent contractor who does not know his onus in the construction industry.

The committee accompanied by the state Commissioner for Works, James Augoye, the acting Permanent Secretary, Fred Edafioghor and others during a joint inspection of the Asaba Airport Runway Thursday, expressed dissatisfaction with the level of work done by the contractor.

Mr. Iwhurie explained that the House Committee on Works embarked on the inspection to evaluate and access the level of work done, saying that Governor Ifeanyi Okowa had committed huge amount of resources for infrastructural development in the State, especially the Asaba Airport.

The Chairman expressed dismay that only 25% of the rehabilitation work has been completed on the project which was meant to be delivered on November 27, 2017 disclosing that the state government had made full payment for the project.

The committee however used the medium to summon the U.L.O Construction Company to appear before it.

“The State Government and all stakeholders including the finance institutions connected in the project are involved to ensure the completion of the project which is a pro-people and pro-development one.” Iwhurie stated, even as he said that all buildings erected on the Airport land would be demolished for the safety of lives and properties of Deltans.

The project Manager, ULO Construction Company, Jerome Adeyemi while conducting the House Committee members round the project failed to give cogent reasons why the contractor has failed in delivering the project within the stipulated time.

In another development, the state commissioner for works, James Augoye has given contracting firms handling road projects in the state a four day ultimatum to mobilize back to site or face sanction.

Mr. Augoye who gave the directive in a statement said firms that did not comply with the directive would be sanctioned, stressing that the weather is now favourable to begin construction and completion of road projects.

He advised the contracting firms to take advantage of the weather to complete all on-going roads projects to usher in the yuletide especially in ensuring that roads are made passable for commuters travelling home for celebrations.

The Works commissioner noted the Okowa’s administration is poised to deliver sustainable road projects to better the lives of Deltans and as such would not entertain any form of lackadaisical attitude from any contracting firm.

While asserting that Governor Okowa has performed credibly in the past few years, Augoye enjoined Deltans to play their part and protect public infrastructure.

Meanwhile, chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), Delta chapter, Prophet Jones Ode Erue said huge resources have been committed to the airport yet it remains used.

The chairman who spoke to journalists in Asaba in his office lamented that passengers takes off from Asaba to other parts of the country and return by roads.

Hear him: “so much has been used for our airport and our airport nobody flies into because the runway is not good. It destroys aircrafts and nobody comes in. we fly to Owerre, Warri, Benin City and use road to come to Asaba and yet the tax payers monies have being over spent on one single project that does not bring result”.