Ebonyi: Go back to site, support gov Nwifuru by delivering quality jobs – Obichukwu tells contractors

By Uchenna Okeh, Abakaliki

Ebonyi state commissioner for aviation and transport technology, Mrs. Ngozi Obichukwu has tasked contractors handling various projects at the Chuba Okadigbo international airport to go back to site, and should support governor Francis Nwifuru’s administration by delivering quality projects in the state.

The Nations News Nigeriareports that the commissioner, Obichukwu inaugurated a 5-man committee led by the permanent secretary, Mrs. Linda Alo to inspect and scrutinize the quality of work done by the contractors at the airport.

Obichukwu who spoke to newsmen shortly after a close door meeting with the contractors at her office located at the Chuba Okadigbo Airport, Onueke Ezza South LGA, however gave ultimatum of 30th October, 2024

for all contractors to submit a letter/proof of award of contract to them by the state government.

She further urged the contractors to be patient and should give maximum support to the governor, Nwifuru, to succeed in his administration, just as she assured them of the government’s readiness to pay them funds owed to them by the previous administration.

According to her: “Airport management is not like other transport services, there are aspects of it that will last many years. Some of the contractors had an agreement with the state government that will last for five to ten years.

“And now that Chuba Okadigbo airport is ready, we wait for the approval to commence flight operation. We invited the contractors we engaged, and we want them to go back to site and complete what they had a contextual agreement with the state government to complete, especially the airfield lightning to enable flight to land at night. We want them to complete the air-condition installation, solar panel installation, and others.

Obichukwu however reiterated the committed efforts of the governor, Nwifuru to complete and put the Chuba Okadigbo airport in perfect use; “The governor, Francis Nwifuru wants the Airport to be of good international standard, and so, we are pleading with the contractors to go back to site, and complete what they had an agreement with the former governor to complete. They will equally be paid the balances owed to them by the previous administration.

She noted further: “the fear that the governor may terminate their jobs, this is one year and four months, the governor will not terminate their jobs, he is equally interested in them to complete their jobs. But they have to show proof that contracts were actually awarded to them, and that they are real contractors that should be trusted. They should work hard at the same pace as the governor, who wants all the jobs to be done perfectly well” she stressed.

Earlier in an acceptance speech, the permanent secretary, Mrs Linda Alo vowed not to leave any stone unturned in ensuring that quality jobs are done at the airport by the contractors.

According to her: “we were charged to come up with a reason and need to pay the contractors balances who did different projects at the Chuba Okadigbo’s airport.

“We are going to interface with the contractors and they have to bring all the necessary documents beginning from the bill of quantity, stages of payments etc, and we will represent the governor to ensure that quality of work is delivered by the contractors at the airport” she said.