There are indications that the Rivers State government may be forced to review upwards, the contract sum for the construction of the 50.15 Port Harcourt Ring Road Project, apparently because of the prevailing economic situation in the country.
But 75 per cent of the N195 billion contract sum had been paid by the governemnt even before construction giants, Julius Berger started work on the road project expected to pass through six local governments of Port Harcourt, Ikwerre, Obio/Akpor, Eleme, Ikwerre, Etche and Ogu-Bolo.
Immediate past governor, Nyesom Wike, before falling out with the governor over ownership of political party structures, had flagged off the project a few weeks into the life of the present government of Sir Siminalayi Fubara.
While undertaking a tour of the project on Wednesday to assess the extent of work done, the governor gave signals that the contract may be reviewed, even though he made the comment in passing. Julius Berger did not say anything in that regard.
While noting that the project was on course, Fubara said “I think that we are good, considering the understanding that we had with Julius Berger Nigeria PLC. We signed off that in 36 months, this project will be done and delivered, and with what we are seeing, we are meeting up that target.
“I think that we have a few issues; the price rate of things at that time we signed the contract and what subsist presently is no longer the same.”
The governor rode the stretch of the road from off the Obiri-Ikwerre-Airport Road axis, through the Jesuit Memorial School to Elikpokwuodu Community, then to Rumuosi and Ozuoba communities before terminating the inspection tour at UTC Junction.
The inspection tour traversed through three local government areas of the state – Ikwerre, Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt City. He said so much money has been expended on the project, with the driving objective being to make sure that it is delivered to Rivers people.
