FG blames paucity of funds for abandoned projects in N/Delta

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi Abuja

Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Usani Uguru Usani has said that the completion of the numerous abandoned projects has been made difficult by the economic hardship being experienced in the country.
In a statement issued by the Director of Press in the Ministry, Marshall Gundu, the minister however, assured that all ongoing infrastructure projects in the Niger Delta region will be completed by President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
According to the statement, Usani said this recently during an inspection of ongoing projects in Abia, and Cross River States where he said that it was the desire of the administration of President Muhammad’s Buhari to improve the standard of living in the Niger Delta region through infrastructure development.
At the inspection of the Nkwoagu Isuochi erosion control project and the Orie-Ngodo- Lombard road projects at Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia State, the Minister expressed displeasure at the slow pace of work on the erosion control project site as routes water was channeled to were already being eroded.
He said that the Federal Government was aware of the destructive effects of erosion on the community, hence the urgency to curb the menace by putting appropriate measures in place, within its limited resources.
Noting that quality of work on ground was not commensurate with invested resources, the Minister, subsequently, urged the construction company to make the best use of resources available to it as well as the best design to ensure that the project lasts and serves the community efficiently as no shoddy job would be tolerated.
Usani who said that a technical review of the project’s design would be done as the job progresses to ensure that the community does not suffer more damage from erosion. He disclosed that funds might be sourced from the Ecological Fund for the timely completion of the project in addition to budgetary provisions.
Another project that was inspected and whose slow pace of completion was put on the lack of funds, was the 50 kilometer Obihie- Akwente-Azunmini-Ukanafun road that connects Abia and Akwa Ibom States though the Minister frowned at the use of substandard designs and materials.
The road is 38 percent completed.
In Cross River State, Usani inspected the over 3 kilometre Okoyong Liberty City Road in Oduakpani Local Government where he also frowned at the slow pace of work and use of substandard designs and materials by the constructing company. He stressed that quality of work on all the inspected projects have to be improved upon as a team of inspectors would return in “ four weeks’ time for re-inspection”.