The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, has? terminated the skills acquisition centre projects at Iguelaba, Edo State, following the contractors’ laxity. The contracts were awarded to M/S Chemtronics Nig. Ltd, (Lot 1), M/S Jogan Limited (Lot 2) and M/S Lonben International Limited (Lot 3), since July 2009, but Orubebe gave his reason for cancelling them for, what he termed ‘the consortium’s refusal to change its nonchallant attitude to this vital national engagement.’
Elder Orubebe announced yesterday in Abuja this at the end of a crucial meeting with his top management team, chairmen, project monitoring task force, consultants and the affected contractors, after undertaking a careful evaluation of the performances of the trio during the ministry’s follow-up visit to confirm their level of responses to an earlier ultimatum for them to step up their pace or face contract revocation.? He said their work fell below expectation.
The minister, in a statement signed by the ministry’s Deputy Director, Press, Chief? Fidelis Osamor and obtained by LEADERSHIP, said that he was deeply pained that the host community was not happy with the contractor’s unimpressive efforts in executing a contract which it fought tooth and nail to win after a rigorous bidding session.
“When the skill acquisition contract meant for linking Niger Delta to the national grid was announced to Iguellabas by the present administration after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in Abuja, they jumped up and shouted ‘Halleluyah!’ but, today, that jubilation is almost defeated.”