Uncompleted housing projects: Ebonyi govt to arrest, prosecute 63 contractors, gives 25th sept, 2024 as ultimatum

By Uchenna Okeh Abakaliki 

The Ebonyi state government led by governor Francis Nwifuru on Thursday threatened to arrest and prosecute over 63 indigenous contractors for failure to complete the ongoing housing projects located at Amanze and Izzo communities, Ishielu local government area of the state.

The state government through the commissioner for housing and urban development, Francis Ori and commissioner for information and orientation, Jude Okpor, made this known while briefing journalists in Abakaliki capital of Ebonyi State.

Ori emphasized that the administration of governor Francis Nwifuru has issued an ultimatum of 25th September, 2024 to all contractors to complete all the housing projects and failure to do that, will attract immediate arrest and prosecution. 

He said that 24 contractors out of the 87 others have completed their housing projects.

According to him: “You will recall that on 22nd September, 2023, Ebonyi State government awarded contracts to various contractors for the construction of 140 units of three bedroom bungalows for Izzo and Amanze autonomous communities. These one hundred -forty bedrooms were shared evenly 70/ 70 per autonomous community.

“Some of these contractors are still waiting to see what we will do up till a few days before the Ojiji festival, the Governor directed that any contractor who fails to finish his job on or before 25th of September shall be arrested and prosecuted according to the law of the contract agreement. 

“They are also aware that this is a contract and I do not see reasons contractors should default.  There are ways we are going to go with them as contained in that agreement. Each of the contractors like a cheque or a guarantor deposited in the ministry that if we fail to do this work, deposit our cheque in a bank and get your money. It was written in the agreement and they all signed. 

“So, it is one of the measures we are going to take against them. We will arrest the contractors if they fail to complete the job on or before September 25th and  we will take that contractor to court to compel him to adhere to the contract agreement. 

“I am not aware of any Governor’s kinsmen or stakeholders handling a project there and they are those I am having problems with. The law is there and it is a respecter of nobody. You cannot just wake up in the middle of the night and decide to change the goal post. It is not possible” he stated. 

Responding, the commissioner for information and state orientation, Jude Okpor said: “The truth remains that Ebonyi is an economy all of us must make conscious effort to stimulate if the resources of the state are given access to participate in the execution of contract.

“It will go a long way to stimulate the economy of the state, because these people are going to buy materials from people of the state and invariably it will help them to pay their taxes and other obligations to the State. 

“So, no matter who is involved as His Excellency said, the law will take its course at the end of the expiration of this time that has been set by the state government because nobody is going to drag the state government out because of its magananity to patronise local content” he stressed.