Rising Prices: Oborevwori cautions contractors to speed up work

Delta State Governor, Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, has cautioned contractors working on state government projects to speed up work in view of rising construction costs.

Speaking during the inspection of ongoing construction works at Uduere Road, Okogbe Road, Oyakhinagha and Edo streets, all in Ughelli, on Friday, Governor Oborevwori, who frowned over it, warned that such reviews would only be done by taking into account

the percentage of work already done by applicant contractors.

The governor cautioned contractors working on state government projects to speed up work in view of rising construction costs.

Oborevwori, who was conducted round the projects by the commissioner for works, (Highways and Urban Roads), Comrade Reuben Izeze and his rural and riverine road counterpart, Mr Charles Aniagwu, said the Ughelli ring road contract was awarded on August 8, 2023 to help decongest traffic from the Otovwodo junction.

He urged the contractors to speed up the pace of work. “I have come to ascertain the work that has been done so that we know how to channel our funds.

“I said during my inauguration that we will consolidate on existing roads and also award new ones and this road is part of the new roads that we initiated and awarded.

“Let me emphasize that the contractor must hasten up because if they continue to slow down, when the rain comes, it will wash away the sharp sand on the road.

“If they can fill and compact during this dry season and stabilise the road, we won’t have problems during the rainy season. Because of the nature of this area, these drains are very necessary to help evacuate water from the road and without these drains, the road will not last.

“The challenge here is that the Otovwodo people dump refuse on drains; so, I want to appeal to the residents of this area to stop dumping refuse in the drain to make the water flow freely.

“I am satisfied with the quality of work I have seen today but am not satisfied with the pace of the work because, in three months from now, we are going into the rainy season and that’s my challenge.

“So, I am appealing to the contractors to see how they can work faster. We know prices are going up; so, they should not delay.

“When you delay, you are still going to do the work; so, why the delay? If you are waiting for an upward review before you do your work, you are making a big mistake because we will look at the extent to which you have worked before any review. So, if we want to do an upward review, we will do it according to the extent of work done.”

He also appealed to residents to stop dumping waste in the drains.