The Edo State Assets Verification Committee has announced plans to recommend the revocation of a major road contract awarded to Nosba Nigeria Limited due to the contractor’s failure to execute the project.
The contract, valued at N8 billion, was for the construction of a 5.52-kilometre stretch along Upper Ekenwa Road, but no significant progress has been made since the project commenced.
The state government had paid a mobilisation fee of N2 billion, but an inspection of the project by the committee revealed that no work had been completed.
Patrick Obahiagbon, the Chairman of the Physical Assets and Infrastructure Subcommittee, expressed concerns about the contractor’s non-performance, calling the current progress “zero percent.”
Accompanied by fellow committee members Kassim Afegbua, Abass Braimah, Kenny Okojie, and Frederick Unopah, Obahiagbon stated, “The work done so far by the contractor is zero percent. We will recommend to the main committee that the contract be revoked.”
In addition to the Nosba Nigeria Limited project, the committee also voiced dissatisfaction with Stefanutti Stocks Wapel Limited, the contractor responsible for a 9.9-kilometre road project covering the Owina-Evbuotubu-Children Medical and Erunmwunse-Okpe roads.
Despite receiving a mobilisation payment of N5 billion out of a total N19 billion contract, the contractor had only completed 12 percent of the work, far below the expected 25 percent progress.
“This is a major contract for about N19 billion, spanning Oredo and Egor Local Government Areas. Five billion naira has been paid as mobilisation, which should cover 25 percent of the work. However, the contractor has only completed 12 percent,” Obahiagbon remarked.
He emphasized that no further payments would be made until the contractor met the expected milestones.
Additionally, the committee announced plans to conduct further measurements to ensure that the contracted 9.9 kilometres of roads were accurately represented.
“We want to ensure that the people of Edo State are not shortchanged. This is our first visit, and we will conduct further measurements to confirm the scope of the work,” Obahiagbon added.
The committee also inspected the reconstruction of the Benin-Abraka Road, Phases 1a and 1b, awarded to Raycon Nigeria Limited.
During the inspection, the committee expressed disappointment with the presence of potholes on the road, despite the project not being completed.
The committee instructed the contractor to repair the potholes before the Christmas break to avoid further inconvenience to residents and commuters.
As the Edo State government continues its efforts to improve infrastructure, the committee’s actions aim to hold contractors accountable and ensure that taxpayers’ funds are effectively used to deliver on key projects.