‘Payments to NDDC’s contractors ‘ll be based on evaluation of standards of projects’

By Bisi Olaniyi, Port Harcourt

The Executive Director, Projects (EDP) of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, has declared that payments will be made to the commission’s contractors based on the evaluation of the standards of the projects.

He also stressed the need to enhance the capacities of indigenous contractors to ensure that quality and standards were not compromised in the execution of projects of the Federal Government’s interventionist agency.

Ojougboh stated these in an interaction with reporters during a three-day tour of completed emergency NDDC’s projects in Imo and Akwa Ibom states, according to a press statement yesterday by the commission’s Director, Corporate Affairs, Charles Odili.

The EDP, who pointed out defects in some of the projects inspected, hinted that NDDC’s technical team would return to properly evaluate and finish their job.

He, however, approved the asphalt overlay done in Akwa Ibom projects, unlike others.

Ojougboh noted that if NDDC would continue to use indigenous contractors, it must encourage and empower them to improve for better performance.

He said: “This is the point that NDDC must be refocused and placed on the proper footing; so that Niger Deltans will benefit from the commission.

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“That is why President Muhammadu Buhari brought us here (NDDC) to look holistically at what went wrong. You can see what we are doing, that we have been able to point it out and place the commission properly.”

Some of the completed emergency projects inspected in Imo state included repair of failed sections of Umudee internal road; Umukehi Uratta, repairs and sections of Ezumoha internal roads, Eziama Osuama internal roads, Ope Okigwe internal road and Umuezuo-Umuezegwu road, Ahiaza Mbaise, among others.

In Akwa Ibom state, the projects inspected included the emergency repairs of the failed sections of secretariat road in Upenekang Ibeno, Odorokuku road and Grammar School close, Upenekang village and Esenem street and Lutheran road environs.