Contractors abandon sites as cash-strapped states suspend projects
Many states are feeling the heat of the drop in the oil price as contractors have vacated the sites of ongoing projects.
Saturday PUNCH learnt that contractors vacated the sites following the states’ inability to fund such projects owing to the reduction in the monthly federal allocation.
The effect of the oil slump, which brought about the drop in allocation, was felt more in road construction and other critical projects.
In Osun State, contractors working on the 30-kilometre Gbongan/Akoda dual carriage way awarded at the cost of N29.3bn in 2013 and the remaining section of the New Ring Road linking Iwo Road to Osogbo- Gbongan Road have vacated the sites.
In Nasarawa State, Governor Tanko Al-Makura, is also finding it difficult to pay contractors handling road projects across the state.
One of our correspondents observed that contractors had vacated all the project sites in the state, including the 1.43 kilometer Abdul Statu Adamu Mu’azu Road considered as the least of the projects initiated by the governor since the inauguration of his administration.
When one of our correspondents contacted the state Commissioner for Works, Mr. Yayaha Wada, he said he was travelling and that was why he could not comment on the development.
But a senior official with the Nasarawa State Urban Development Board who did not want his name published said the contractors might not mobilise to the sites until there is improvement in the allocation from the federation account.
The Asaba –Ughelli dual carriage way conceptualised in 2007 by Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan was expected to be completed in 2014, but Saturday PUNCH learnt that contractors handling the project had evacuated their equipment from the site.
Covering a distance of about 150 kilometres, the road is just about 50 per cent completed, despite having gulped over N40bn.
Other projects that have suffered similar fate in the state are Asaba Township Stadium and Okpanam Road.
The Asaba and Warri airports projects have remained uncompleted for many years in spite of a recent appointment of a commissioner by the governor to be in charge of the completion of the projects.
But it was learnt that the Ekiti State Government “re-prioritised” projects in the state as a result of the debt allegedly left by the administration of former Governor Kayode Fayemi.
As result of the development, the government stopped ongoing projects such as the Civic Centre, Ado-Ekiti; the Ikere-Akure Road and the Ekiti Parapo Square.
The Special Assistant to Governor Ayodele Fayose on Information, Mr. Lanre Ogunsuyi, told one of our correspondents in Ado-Ekiti, that “there is nothing the state government can do about the situation with paucity of fund.”
The oil slump also affected the implementation of the 2014 budget in Kwara State.
According to th e state Commissioner for Information, Mr. Tunji Moronfoye, the situation affected provision of infrastructure, such as rehabilitation of roads and hospitals.
He said some roads could not be completed as a result of paucity of funds.
Saturday PUNCH learnt that the effect of the oil slump also hit the Ogun State Government hardest in the education sector and in the area of road construction.
Like in other states, contractors working on roads in Sango Ota, Sagamu, Ilaro and Abeokuta have left the sites due to lack of funds.
Works have also been suspended in the 20 models schools under construction across the state.
Though the state had told the public that it took a loan facility for road construction, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Mr. Olusegun Clement, blamed the development on dwindling allocation from federal account.
In Akwa Ibom State, the contractor handling the 1.2km Etebi-Enwang Bridge and the road connecting the area has removed machineries from the project site.
The Eket Ibeno Road dual carriage way, 3rd Ring Road, Uyo; Second Phase of Ibom Airport, Ibom Housing Estate, Uruan; 21st Century Hospital, Ibesikpo Drainage System and Science Park, Ibom Plaza are projects that have suffered the same fate.
In Cross River State, some of the obvious projects that seemed abandoned are the UJ Esuene Stadium, which is being upgraded; the Airport Road bypass under construction in Calabar Municipal and Calabar South local government areas, and the Ogoja Stadium.
Source : The Punch
Saturday PUNCH learnt that contractors vacated the sites following the states’ inability to fund such projects owing to the reduction in the monthly federal allocation.
The effect of the oil slump, which brought about the drop in allocation, was felt more in road construction and other critical projects.
In Osun State, contractors working on the 30-kilometre Gbongan/Akoda dual carriage way awarded at the cost of N29.3bn in 2013 and the remaining section of the New Ring Road linking Iwo Road to Osogbo- Gbongan Road have vacated the sites.
In Nasarawa State, Governor Tanko Al-Makura, is also finding it difficult to pay contractors handling road projects across the state.
One of our correspondents observed that contractors had vacated all the project sites in the state, including the 1.43 kilometer Abdul Statu Adamu Mu’azu Road considered as the least of the projects initiated by the governor since the inauguration of his administration.
When one of our correspondents contacted the state Commissioner for Works, Mr. Yayaha Wada, he said he was travelling and that was why he could not comment on the development.
But a senior official with the Nasarawa State Urban Development Board who did not want his name published said the contractors might not mobilise to the sites until there is improvement in the allocation from the federation account.
The Asaba –Ughelli dual carriage way conceptualised in 2007 by Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan was expected to be completed in 2014, but Saturday PUNCH learnt that contractors handling the project had evacuated their equipment from the site.
Covering a distance of about 150 kilometres, the road is just about 50 per cent completed, despite having gulped over N40bn.
Other projects that have suffered similar fate in the state are Asaba Township Stadium and Okpanam Road.
The Asaba and Warri airports projects have remained uncompleted for many years in spite of a recent appointment of a commissioner by the governor to be in charge of the completion of the projects.
But it was learnt that the Ekiti State Government “re-prioritised” projects in the state as a result of the debt allegedly left by the administration of former Governor Kayode Fayemi.
As result of the development, the government stopped ongoing projects such as the Civic Centre, Ado-Ekiti; the Ikere-Akure Road and the Ekiti Parapo Square.
The Special Assistant to Governor Ayodele Fayose on Information, Mr. Lanre Ogunsuyi, told one of our correspondents in Ado-Ekiti, that “there is nothing the state government can do about the situation with paucity of fund.”
The oil slump also affected the implementation of the 2014 budget in Kwara State.
According to th e state Commissioner for Information, Mr. Tunji Moronfoye, the situation affected provision of infrastructure, such as rehabilitation of roads and hospitals.
He said some roads could not be completed as a result of paucity of funds.
Saturday PUNCH learnt that the effect of the oil slump also hit the Ogun State Government hardest in the education sector and in the area of road construction.
Like in other states, contractors working on roads in Sango Ota, Sagamu, Ilaro and Abeokuta have left the sites due to lack of funds.
Works have also been suspended in the 20 models schools under construction across the state.
Though the state had told the public that it took a loan facility for road construction, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Mr. Olusegun Clement, blamed the development on dwindling allocation from federal account.
In Akwa Ibom State, the contractor handling the 1.2km Etebi-Enwang Bridge and the road connecting the area has removed machineries from the project site.
The Eket Ibeno Road dual carriage way, 3rd Ring Road, Uyo; Second Phase of Ibom Airport, Ibom Housing Estate, Uruan; 21st Century Hospital, Ibesikpo Drainage System and Science Park, Ibom Plaza are projects that have suffered the same fate.
In Cross River State, some of the obvious projects that seemed abandoned are the UJ Esuene Stadium, which is being upgraded; the Airport Road bypass under construction in Calabar Municipal and Calabar South local government areas, and the Ogoja Stadium.
Source : The Punch
No comments
Kindly drop your comments