Delta State House Of Assembly (dtha) House Committee On Works: Commissioner Scores Committee High

By Kenneth Orusi, The Nigerian Voice, Asaba

Delta State Commissioner for Works, Chief James Augoye, has scored the Mr Evance Ivwurie, Delta State House of Assembly (DTHA) Committee on Works high for doing a thorough job with regards to the ongoing probe of the Managing Director (MD) of ULO Consultant.

He said the meetings have been very successful and fruitful, “it has given us inside details of what is actually happening around the ministries and other agencies as regards our dealing with contractors and works being executed in Delta State”, very fruitful, he reiterated.

He said previous governments have their modus operandi of awarding contracts and their way of payments which may likely be different from theirs, “so, I can’t blame them for what they have done in the past”.

He noted that the present administration is very careful in awarding contracts as it follows due process according to the procurement law.

On the Ughelli-Asaba road project that has become a nightmare to road users, he said, “if you have gone through that road recently, you will discover that the Sector “A” (Ughelli-Elu end), rehabilitation work is ongoing and we intend to proceed to the Sector “C” which was a bone of contention in today’s meeting”, assuring that the ministry would face the potholes along the road.

He disclosed that the Direct Labour Agency (DLA) has also commenced work before the Mobil Barrack, “they will soon move to the Kwale end to ensure that all the potholes are covered”.

“ULO is a contractor, that is the much I can say”, adding that it would be the decision of the contractor handling the Okpanam road to work at night, “we are working according to the work programme that they have submitted to us which of course does not include night but we want to ensure this time around that the Okpanam road is done according to specification and that is why we have civil engineers on ground to monitor and ensure that it is done according to specification of the project”.

On the prosecution of failed contractors, Augoye said, “well prosecution is not something you just jump into and continue doing. It is a process and of course you can see that we have started with the process. At the executive end, we have committee that is been headed by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, that is looking at various contracts that has failed and the possible way of refunding where necessary and if it is the state that is at fault, we have to refund to the contractor, the process is on”.