The Rivers State Government has ordered contractors handling construction work on some secondary school projects to stop work with immediate effect following discovery that the contractors were using poor quality materials in the execution of the projects.
The state Commissioner for Education, Dr Tamunosisi Gogo-Jaja, gave the order shortly after inspecting the ongoing construction work at the Government Secondary School, Abua in Abua/Odual Local Government Area of the state.
Gogo-Jaja, who was displeased by the quality of work being done by some of the contractors in the school, ordered the contractors to stop work immediately and report to his office at the ministry in Port Harcourt, today, for thorough briefing on the way forward.
The commissioner expressed dissatisfaction that despite the fact that adequate provisions had been made, including funding, for the contractors to deliver quality jobs, low quality blocks and wood were still being used to execute the new school project.
He warned that the state government would not fold its arms and watch contractors divert money meant for the execution of quality projects to private pockets, and said that any contractor found culpable would be severely sanctioned.
Gogo-Jaja said that Governor Nyesom Wike has committed to deliver quality projects to Rivers people in fulfilment of his campaign promises and in keeping with the people’s mandate, saying that any contractor bent on sabotaging the government’s genuine intentions would not be tolerated.
Also speaking at Ubima in Ikwerre Local Government Area, where he inspected some secondary schools’ upgrade and rehabilitation project, Gogo-Jaja, pointed out that the state government was excited at the quality and pace of work done so far by the contractors handling the projects.
The commissioner, who was received on arrival at Ubima by the former governor of Rivers State, Sir Celestine Omehia, expressed satisfaction with the job done so far at Community Secondary School, Ubima.
Omehia, who accompanied Gogo-Jaja and his entourage on the inspection visit to project sites in Ubima, lauded Governor Nyesom Wike for awarding contracts for the reconstruction of the abandoned schools by the previous administration of Chibuike Amaechi, who incidentally hails from the same community.
Susan Serekara-Nwikhana