Edith CHUKU
Displeased with the slow pace of work at the Okrika Grammar School OGS, in Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State, governor Siminalayi Fubara, is set to summon a meeting with the contractors.
He said the essence of the meeting would be to read the riot act to them and re-emphasise strict compliance to project specifications and timeline that were mutually agreed.
The governor stated this when he visited the project site on Monday, to inspect and ascertain the extent of work done.
Fubara who also the state of work on the Woji-Akpajo-Alesa-Eleme-Port Harcourt road and bridge, expressed displeasure at the slow pace of work by the contractors handling the total reconstruction of structures and landscaping at the OGS.
He wondered why the Commissioner for Education had informed him wrongly that 70 percent work has been achieved while what he could see was far below the impression created.
Visibly angry, Fubara said he will summon a meeting with the contractors immediately to read the riot act to them and re-emphasise strict compliance to project specifications and timelines that were mutually agreed.
His words, “I have heard several reports from the Commissioner for Education, giving me updates, and I felt this is my constituency, so, I should visit.
“As a matter of fact, Okrika is dear to me, so I need to see for myself the extent of work done and the standard delivered too.
“My assessment; I need to be very raw: I am not satisfied. That is the truth. The Commissioner gave me the impression that 70 percent of the job has been done, but from what I am seeing here, I need to takeover the supervision of this project to make sure I give my people a standard Grammar School again.”
He explained that the project of revamping the Okrika Grammar School was focused on remodelling the once foremost secondary school in the State.
The Governor recalled that the OGS had produced a good number of great men who have become renowned in politics and other special areas of their disciplines not only in Rivers State but across the world.
He added that, “we were touched by the very deplorable state of the foremost school, and our government decided that we should give it a face-lift, and since after the award of this contract, we have not visited the school. So, we are doing it today.
“I understand the issue of price difference. We can discuss those variations, but the quality must match the amount that is spent.
“You know I am somebody who deals with figures, so, there must be value for money. And by the end, our people need to be happy that we have done this, and I also need to be happy that I did what is needed for our people.”
Further, he noted that his government had paid 100 percent of the contract sum for the project, adding that he has resolved now to take over the regular supervision of the project.
