The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has commenced inspection visits to projects in Rivers State to enforce compliance, following a 30-day ultimatum given by it to contractors handling its projects to return to site or face sanctions.

According to Ceoafrica, leader of the team of NDDC officials and representative of Rivers State in the board of the commission, Hon Harry Dabibi, who spoke at the end of a four-day inspection of projects in the state restated the resolve of the Managing Director, Mr Nsima Ekere to fast track the on-going audit of projects awarded in the region.

The NDDC inspection team, which included Mr Benson Asubop, the Director of Rivers State Office, several engineers and the project consultants, visited 32 projects being executed in different local government areas of the state.

Top on the list of projects inspected was the 4.72-Km Kaa-Ataba Road and bridge project in Khana local government area; the team took a boat ride to the Ataba end of the first bridge in Andoni local government area to assess the entire project.

Dabibi said he was happy with the progress of work at the site. He, however, urged the contractor to put in more efforts to quicken the pace of work.

He noted that some of the problems that had previously slowed down the pace of work on NDDC projects had been addressed, adding that the process of payment has been streamlined and fine-tuned.

Dabibi charged all NDDC contractors to fulfil their obligations to the commission by working expeditiously to deliver the various projects on schedule and in accordance with specified standards.

He warned, “Contractors that are not on site or fail to keep to specifications will have themselves to blame because the NDDC will not hesitate to take appropriate measures to bring them to book”.

The Rivers State representative said, “Contractors working for the NDDC to buckle up as “the board will not entertain excuses for non-performance. Our contractors must prioritize the prompt and early completion of projects. Where there are challenges, we should know immediately”.

Responding, the project manager of the Kaa-Ataba Road and Bridge, Engr. Mene Solomon, assured that his company would work towards early completion of the job.

Solomon attributed the delay experienced so far to the turbulent waves in the water, which had hampered the delivery of materials to the site and affected the schedule for casting of the piers.

Another project inspected was the 3.65-kilometre Okrika-Borokiri Road with three bridges at Kolabi, Abotoru and Okpoka creeks in Okrika local government area.

Dabibi observed that there were no activities at the site and directed the NDDC Director of Rivers State office to invite the contractor for a meeting to determine the best way forward.

The site manager for the company handling the project, Engr. Jolien Keneem, told the NDDC officials that his firm had devised a strategy that would help it to expedite work on the project, explaining that the work would be approached from different points simultaneously when more funds were released to his company.

At the site of the Niger Delta Regional Specialist Hospital (orthopaedic and cardiovascular), in Port Harcourt, the NDDC team was greeted with another encouraging performance by its contractors.

Dabibi said he was impressed with the quality of work done so far and the appreciable progress made in putting up the two hospitals, noting that the people needed to be healthy to enjoy the benefits of good roads and bridges.

The NDDC team also inspected the Nigerian Police barracks being built for the Special Protection Unit, base 6 at Omagwa in the outskirts of Port Harcourt. The complex contains an administrative building and six blocks of residential quarters.

According to the NDDC team leader, “The status of work at the complex was satisfactory considering that the main administrative block and the residential quarters for the Police Commander in the barracks had been completed.

“We hope that the other contractors will expedite action on the other buildings in the complex. We have seen some progress by two of the contractors; we expect the others that are lagging behind to wake up”.

The next stop for the team was the site of the skill acquisition centre in Aleto, Eleme LGA. Here, the contractor was said to have left the site due to an outstanding IPC. After reviewing the situation at the building site, Hon Dabibi promised to make a case for the contractor to be re-mobilised.

The inspection team also checked the internal roads constructed by the commission in Abalama,  Asari Toru and Degema local government areas. The NDDC commissioner described the completed projects as not only commendable but a testimony to the commitment of some local contractors to the objective of delivering quality projects to the people.

The team also expressed satisfaction with the quality of work on the solar-powered water project in Buguma.