Gov. Diri laments slow pace of work after paying ₦‎16bn mobilisation fee to contractor

News Agency Of Nigeria

June 2, 2023 4:42 PM

He stressed that the level of work done since the project began about a year ago was not commensurate with the ₦‎16 billion paid as mobilisation.

Gov Douye Diri (Vanguard News)

Bayelsa’s Gov. Douye Diri on Friday at Nembe expressed dissatisfaction at the pace of work on the 21km Phase One of the Nembe-Brass Highway.

He noted that the indigenous contractor, Setraco Nigeria Ltd., had collected ₦‎16 billion mobilisation fee from the state government out of the contract sum of ₦‎54 billion.

He stressed that the level of work done since the project began about a year ago was not commensurate with the ₦‎16 billion paid as mobilisation.

“I am not comfortable with the level of sand filling that you have done so far.

“We have timelines for this project and I do not want anybody to ever think that we are playing politics with this road.

“We know why we awarded this contract. We know the importance of this road leading to Brass and I do not want you as contractors to disappoint the government.

“This contract was awarded for the first phase for about N54 billion and your mobilisation fee was 30 per cent, which amounts to N16 billion.

“Government has paid the N16 billion, but the work done is not commensurate with the mobilisation fee that you have received.

“The next time we come here, we want to see this whole place sand-filled. Take this very seriously.

“You are a serious company and you have been working with this government. You did the Sagbama-Ekeremor Road and now you are on this important road. So I expect that you will not disappoint us,’’ he said.

Responding, Setraco’s Area Manager for Bayelsa and Delta, Engr. J. J. Cosme, promised to increase the pace of work on the project to meet the timelines.

He assured that the company would not disappoint the government and people of the area.

Gov. Diri also inspected the on-going Onuebum-Otuoke Road project in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa.

News Agency Of Nigeria