LAGOS DECEMBER 31ST (URHOBOTOAY)-Youths and concerned indigenes of Ikpide-Irri community under Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State have raised the alarm over what they described as the continued poor quality of job being done on a N736.4m road in their community by Portplus Limited, a marine service company.
The concrete pavement road contract said to have been awarded in March 2017 by the state governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, to his crony, has become subject of series of controversies for several months due to the poor quality of job being carried out by the contractor.
Recall that series of mass protests had greeted the project since inception and the Delta State Government through the Commissioner for Works, James Aguoye, had during inspection last year certified the ongoing controversial N736.4m Ikpide-Irri Road project as substandard following low quality of materials used.
Irked by the fresh poor quality of job over the weekend after the company resumed work, concerned indigenes in the community stormed the construction site when news of the shoddy job being done filtered into town.
While concerned indigenes of the community especially youths continued to stand their grounds for quality work to be done, elder brother to the contractor, who is President-General of the community, Michael Omojefe, had last year told our correspondent that the contract was a ‘kolanut’ given to his younger brother by the governor in appreciation of his support during his first term in office election.
“Governor Okowa has always told communities to as a matter of importance take charge of government projects in their communities because they are the end users of such projects and for that we the youth and other concerned indigenes of Ikpide-Irri decided to wage war against substandard work on the road project awarded to a son of the soil. He want to maximise profits to the detriment of his people,” Samuel, an indigene told our correspondent.
When contacted over the issue, the Delta state Commissioner for Works, Aguoye, promised to send down a team of engineers from the ministry to the site to see things for themselves and report back to him.
Saharareporters