Governor Okorocha has variously received strong bashing from contractors handling projects in the state. This followed the way and manner they have been given ill treatment in their relationship with the administration. When Okorocha assumed office on May 29, 2011, he summoned the indigenous contractors from across the country to assemble in the state for investment. Many contractors virtually relocated to Imo State and contracts were “awarded” to them. Between September and November 2011, the entire state was turned into a giant road construction site. People said the real governor has finally arrived as massive construction of roads ongoing became the watch word of supporters of the governor known as Rescue Mission fanatics in the state. He nicknamed the programme “Rochas Road Revolution.” As at November 2012, the government claimed that it had already expended 13.9 billion naira in “Rochas Road Revolution.” But the magazine learnt that over 30 contractors involved in the various projects were kept in the dark over the real contents in the contract documents. The contractors were not allowed to even cite either the original or duplicate copies of the contract documents which were rather kept in the custody of the Ministry of works. Investigations were later to reveal that the original contract document for road projects required contractors who would tar 19 km kilometers of road to be entitled to no mobilization fee. The document further provided that upon the completion of 30% of the contract, the contractor will then be paid on the extent of work completed. The contract prize for one kilometer of road tarred was put at N120 million. Although the contractors were kept ignorant of the contract documents, they mobilized to site and commenced work without the traditional monetary mobilization with the hope that they will be paid after completing 30 per cent of the work as earlier agreed with the governor. But several months after the commencement of the contracts, Okorocha summoned the contractors to inform them that not every road under contract would be tarred. He disclosed that due to the nature of the cost of roads under the scheme, that he had decided to assign grades to each road. According to him, only roads in grade “A” would be tarred grade ‘B’ roads would only be primed and grade “C” roads would be graded. In that case, the contract cost of one kilometer of road was reduced to N60 million. The contract cost of the grade “A” roads however, remained as agreed. But despite their discomfort with the unilateral adjustment of the agreement, they all returned to work to complete the 30 percent work needed prior to payment as originally agreed. The contractors later realized that the governor never intended to keep to the agreements, let alone paying them.
Posted on: Wed, 09 Apr 2014 19:41:05 +0000
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