The Ikorogho and Zion Ikorigho communities in llaje Local Government area of Ondo State, have appealed to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to resume work on the 2012 reclamation and alluvial sand filling in the areas.
The communities noted that if the project is completed, it would help to further uplift the standard of living if the people of the area.
In a letter addressed to the office Managing Director of the the NDDC and jointly signed by High Chief Robert Nana, Primate Afolabi Aboyewa and Mr Ola Omotehinse, the communities, noted that the completion of the project was long overdue.
The Ikorogho and Zion Ikorigho communities said they had 2020 written to the commission to inform it of the stoppage of the project by the contractor handling it.
According to them, the contractor allegedly left the site because of non-payment of the second tranche of the agreed contract sum.
The letter read in part: “We write to commend the present Governing Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) for her record-breaking efforts at truly transforming the Niger Delta region and the lives of its people through the completion of monumental and life-changing projects whose execution had dragged on for many years and the initiation of new projects.
“The Alluvial/Sand-Filling aspect of the Project is divided into two phases of 70 per cent Alluvial-Filling and 30 per cent sand-filling.
“We recall that almost four years ago; precisely on Tuesday, 25th August 2020, we wrote to draw the attention of the Commission to the stoppage of work at the project site.
“The work stoppage occurred because the commission failed to pay the contractor her second payment for which it was due even in the face of the incessant breakdown of the company’s swamp buggy excavator as a result of the compact nature of the muddy area where the excavator was being used.
“Presently, we are deeply worried that this billions of naira project may end up being abandoned since the non-payment of the contractor’s entitlement had made it impossible for the contractor to resume work at the project site.”
The communities regretted that presently the execution of the Alluvial-Filling phase at the project site covered only about half of the length of one of Zion Ikorigho community, adding that nothing had been done in Ikorigho community.
“The Managing Director, as the Head of the Management of a comparatively more result-oriented Board of the Commission (in recent times),we humbly appeal to you to demonstrate your compassionate nature and love for project execution by directing the release of funds to the contractor so that she can meet her obligations to the Commission and to our communities.”
ALSO READ THESE TOP STORIES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
Suspension of tariff on imported grains aimed at tackling shortages — Tinubu