Delta State Commissioner for Works (Highways and Urban Roads), Comrade Reuben Izeze, has assured residents of Ofagbe Community in Isoko North Local Government Area that the state government will take appropriate action following complaints over the quality of work on the ongoing Isoko Ring Road project.
Speaking during an unscheduled inspection of the project, Izeze said the visit was ordered by the Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori after the governor received several complaints through his personal communication channels, as well as reports of a protest by members of the community.
The commissioner, who was accompanied by the Executive Assistant to the Governor on Public Enlightenment (Projects and Policies), Mr. Olisa Ifeajika, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Works, Engr. Solomon Aghagba, the Director of Highways, Engr. Solomon Akpotowho, and other senior officials of the ministry, said the inspection was aimed at assessing the situation firsthand.
"We are here on the directive of the Governor. He received several reports, including complaints sent directly to him and reports of a protest by members of this community. In line with his leadership style, he directed that we come here physically to see the situation for ourselves and report back to him," Izeze said.
The Commissioner, who defied a heavy downpour to inspect the project, said ministry engineers had earlier visited the site and issued a stop-work order to the contractor after identifying deficiencies in the execution of the project.
According to him, the latest inspection reaffirmed the government's commitment to ensuring value for every kobo spent on public projects, stressing that the Oborevwori administration would not compromise on quality.
"Our duty is simple, to verify the facts on the ground. The facts speak for themselves. Governor Oborevwori has consistently maintained that every kobo spent by the Delta State Government must translate into value for the people.
"We will return to brief him on our findings, and I am confident that the concerns of the people of Ofagbe, the contractor and Deltans generally will receive the necessary attention," he added.
Some residents of the community, including Edo Samuel and Raphael Idoghor, expressed dissatisfaction with the quality of work on the project, alleging that the contractor had failed to meet acceptable construction standards.
They claimed that despite repeated complaints and previous inspections by government officials, the road and drainage works remained substandard, while work on the site had been irregular, with the contractor frequently abandoning the project after brief periods of activity.
The residents also alleged that attempts to engage the contractor over the quality of work had yielded no positive response.
They appealed to the Delta State Government to revoke the contract and award it to a more competent contractor, insisting that they did not want the poorly executed project to undermine the developmental strides and reputation of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori's administration.
