Date: 2017-02-13

The contractor handling a bridge project in Ilala town, Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State got yesterday one week ultimatum to expedite pace of work or have the contract terminated.

The bridge, which has been under construction for the past few years, is the only link to other adjoining communities in the area.

Speaking with Journalists when he visited the project site, the state Commissioner for Works and Transport, Mr Aro Yahaya, alleged that the contractor, Bil Engineering Construction Limited, has defaulted on the execution of the project.

He said the contractor does not have any plausible excuse to offer as to why he has been executing the project haphazardly and warned that the government will be decisive in its action against the construction firm.

Yahaya vowed that the state government would not rescind its plans to halt the contract if the contractor failed to improve the pace of work within the next seven days.

He expressed displeasure that he was taken aback with the level of wok done on the project despite regular payment to the contractor.

In the bid to avoid delay in payment, the Commissioner stated that the government floated Kwara Infrastructure Development Fund (IF-K), adding that all project contractors had leveraged on the funding platform to draw funding without any hiccups.

He also warned other contractors that the government would not hesitate to mete out appropriate sanction to any of them found to have defaulted contractual agreement and specifications.

"Honestly, the contractor handling this project (Ilala Bridge) has not impressed us. Two weeks ago, we were here. We made the same complaints that the project execution was very slow, and now we could not see any improvement as we envisaged. Therefore, I have warned the contractor that by next one week, if improvement has not been recorded, we are going to terminate that contract.

"Nothing will be done rather than to terminate that contract because we are not owing him. We have paid as agreed. As I have said earlier, all contractors handling our projects will be paid as and when due based on IF-K (Kwara Infrastructure Development Fund) payment system. And any contractors that failed to play the game according to our agreement, we are going to sanctions against them, and we are very serious this time around", Yahaya said.

The commissioner, who accompanied on the inspection by the Special Adviser to the state Governor on Project Monitoring and Infrastructure, Mr Yinka Olaoye, also visited the ongoing David Matanmi Road project in Oke-Opin, Ekiti Local Government Area.

He also expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of work on the project and enjoined the contractor to redouble his commitment to ensure that the project was delivered as agreed.

Similarly, the commissioner and his team also inspected Idofin-Igbana Road project in Oke-Ero Local Government Area where also expressed disappointment on the pace of work.

He told the contractor to work in line with the agreement entered into with the state government, assuring that funds will be released without delay.

Yahaya also inspected Ipetu/Rore Road in Irepodun Local Government Area and praised the contractor for doing what he referred as "quality job".

He reassured that the government, through the IF-K, will make funds available at the appropriate time and asked the contractor to ensure that the project was completed by first week of April this year.