The Edo State government has expressed serious concerns about the poor execution of several major road construction projects. The Physical Assets and Infrastructure Subcommittee, under the Edo State Assets Verification Committee, is now recommending the cancellation of some contracts due to alleged abandonment and substandard progress.
One of the projects under scrutiny is the 5.52-kilometre Upper Ekenwa Road, awarded to Nosba Nigeria Limited for N8 billion. Despite receiving a N2 billion mobilization fee, the contractor has reportedly failed to make any visible progress.
During an inspection on Sunday, the subcommittee’s chairman, Patrick Obahiagbon, described the contractor’s work as “zero percent.”
He stated, “The works so far done by the contractor is zero percent. We intend to persuade the full house of the committee that the contract awarded to the construction company be recommended to the state government for revocation.”
Another troubling case involves Stefanutti Stocks Wapel Limited, which is handling the N19 billion Owina-Evbuotubu-Children Medical-Erunmwunse-Okpe Road project. This 9.9-kilometre project is critical to improving road and drainage infrastructure in Oredo and Egor Local Government Areas.
Although the contractor has received N5 billion (25% of the contract sum), only 12% of the work has been completed. Obahiagbon called this progress “unsatisfactory” and demanded better alignment between funds disbursed and work delivered.
The subcommittee also raised concerns about potential discrepancies in the project’s scope, pledging to verify the accuracy of the 9.9-kilometre road measurement to ensure the state is not overcharged.
Raycon Nigeria Limited, which is responsible for the Benin-Abraka Road reconstruction, also came under fire. The committee noted that the road, though unfinished, already had visible potholes. Contractors were instructed to fix these issues before going on their Christmas holiday.
