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Gov Mbah orders immediate termination of contract
From Okwe Obi, Abuja
The Enugu State Government has demolished a Smart Green School at Mbu in Isi-Uzo LGA of the state, citing substandard work and structural defects.
Speaking to newsmen at the continuation of the demolition exercise at the weekend, Chairman of Isi-Uzo LGA, Barr Obiora Obeagu, said the state’s team of experts and project managers, led by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof Chidiebere Onyia, had detected and flagged some substandard work by the contractor several weeks ago and ordered the contractor to rectify them.
However, upon a visit to the site by a team from the Enugu State Ministry of Works and Infrastructure on Wednesday, July 16, the structure failed in the tests, as significant cracks were observed on the building, leading to the demolition order by the governor.
“The contractors misrepresented their compliance, betraying the trust of the state government. The governor had not just directed the demolition of the particular structure involved, but also the immediate termination of the contract, as the contractors in question could not meet the state’s high-quality standards.
“So, Isi-Uzo Local Government Council took over the site and has been working with Ministry of Works engineers to conduct integrity tests and reinforcement works on the remaining structures to ensure there are no issues.
“Remember that the Governor Peter Mbah Administration is constructing 260 Smart Green Schools across the 260 wards of Enugu State. The government is also constructing 260 Type 2 Primary Healthcare Centres across the state. So, that is about 520 of the over 1,500 projects going on in the state simultaneously.
“So, the government’s eagle eye on this project that detected the defects, as well as the swift and decisive action, explicitly sends the message across the board that it is no longer business as usual. It speaks to zero tolerance for sharp practices under this administration.
“It underscores Governor Mbah’s commitment to ensuring high-quality infrastructure for the people of the state, especially the Enugu Smart Green Schools initiative, which is extremely close to his heart,” Obeagu concluded.
