By; Samuel ibezim
The Imo state representatives in the board of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Barr. Peter Ezeoke has stated that team A of the board committee comprising of Imo, Abia, and Cross-River were in Imo state to inspect 5 projects being executed by NDDC through their contractors.
According to Ezeoke, the projects visited include theNworieBridgenear Egbeada Federal Housing, a massive NDDC hostel at FUTO. Others include a hostel at IMSU andOgutaNnekwukwuBridgeat Oguta LGA. When asked what caused the delay, in dredging ofNwaorieRiveralong bank road, he said that the project had a problem from the drawing and that the contractors handling it, has employed the services of professionals in hydrology.
He also said that the contractor alleged that the rain carries the debris from Owerri to the bridge thereby blocking whatever they have and it constituted a lot of problem to them. Ezeoke also said that the two hostels they have visited have reached up to 80% completion that the bridges at Egbeada Federal Housing have reached up to 70% completion, while that of Nekede road have reached 65%, but admitted that the one that has not gone far is Nwakwukwu bridge because it was awarded this year.
He said that what could be delayed the road construction in some of the on-going project is that the contractors might block one of the roads to enable them focus on their work.
When asked to react on the assessment of the contractors handling the projects inImoState, he sad that since the month of May the Team A of NDDC committee embarked on project inspections, they observed that some contractors are doing well while some abandoned their work intending to call a meeting of contractors to know their problems.
