Soludo terminates road construction, orders contractor, equipment out of site, says: contractor incompetent

By Pamela Eboh, Awka

One of the road contracts awarded by Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo to give the state a face lift has been terminated by the governor over alleged incompetence of the contractor.

The contractor whose name was not mentioned in a video of the governor’s unscheduled visit to the site on Sunday making is said to be handling road in Soludo’s Aguata Local Government Area of the state.

In the video, Soludo who visited the road construction site referred to the company as being useless, and lacking the capacity to deliver the job.

The governor speaking to the project manager at the project site said: “Just take off all these things (equipment) because this contract has been terminated. I just called the commissioner for works and I have told him that this contract has been terminated.

“See what you are doing. I have terminated the contract, and you are supposed to return the money you were paid. Useless company! We gave you this contract on the basis that you are an indigenous company, but see what you are doing. This is what we see. You blocked the entire highway, and nobody can pass by. Now, I am going to my hometown, how do I go? This is a federal highway.

“For months, you blocked the road, even for people to pass through the other highway, you blocked the road.

“This job was supposed to have been finished in October, and that was the contract you were given. Other companies that were given the same contracts like you have all delivered.”

The governor refused to heed any plea from the project manager, as he rejected explanations that the road had peculiarities that made it difficult to deliver at the appropriate time.

He added, “There are other very difficult terrain, and the contractors have delivered. I have terminated the contract and there is nothing you can tell me about it. Take off all you equipment from these place and move out because another person is coming to take over the job. If you continue, it is at your own risk because we are not paying you a dime, instead, we are asking for a refund.”

It was learnt that the terminated contract is a federal highway, leading from Soludo’s community to Ekwulobia town, also in Aguata Local Government Area of the state.