14 years after, Delta Govt revokes Udu harbour multimillion naira market project

From: Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

Fourteen years after it was awarded, the Delta State government on Tuesday said it has Commenced the process for the revocation of the multimillion naira Udu harbour market project awarded to a Labense owned company Nigeria Road Construction Limited.
Following the development, the state government further said that it had also commenced the process of shopping for a credible Contractor that would take up the project and finish same in record time and to specifications.
The state Commissioner for Trade and Investments, Mr Chika Ossai in a statement he signed and a copy made available to our Correspondent in Asaba, said that the state government was taking the option of revoking the contract, after several attempts by the state Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa to get the Contractors back to site, failed as he was said to have reportedly abandoned the project which was less than thirty percent completed.
While saying that the project was one of the priority projects in the state, Ossai passionately appealed to the residents and Indigenes of the community to be ready to Cooperate with any Contractor the state government will approve to take up the project anytime soon.
Part of the state statement reads”the state government has inspected the projects in Okwagbe , Bomadi, and Otu- Jeremi on similar projects in the areas, and I reaffirmed that the state government is determined to complete ongoing projects before the expiration of the current administration of Mr Ifeanyi Okowa”.
The Commissioner however expressed the state government’s displeasure over the attitude of the contractor handling Udu harbour market, adding”for this particular project, the state government has been greatly embarrassed as Deltans have constantly inquired what has been happening about the market. They are right because nobody is happy that a job which was awarded since 2006 is still at this stage, it is indeed very unfortunate but be that as it may, the state government is still determined to see what can be done to give this project is one of the star projects that would have happened in this local government, well all hope is not lost as we are ready to revoke the contract and then give it to a more credible Contractor”.
The statement averred that” it is unfortunate that after the state government had paid reasonable amount of money to the contractor to enable it carry on, he took the money, did little Job and today, we cannot continue to keep the people waiting in vain , we are determined to revoke the contract and give it to another contractor who is ready to do the Job”.