Rt. Hon. Speaker,
Distinguished Colleagues.
You would recall that the House at its plenary sittings of Wednesday 31st October, 2016 mandated the standing Committee on Works to pay on-the-spot to visit to Bassa, Ankpa and Omala Local Government Areas to assess the aforementioned works in the Area and report back to the House accordingly.
This was sequel to the Motion calling on the State Government to complete the Oguma/Sheriya Bridge moved by Hon. Sunday Shigaba (Bassa Constituency) and the Motion appealing to the state Government to rehabilitate Ankpa-Ejegbo-Emere-Enabo-Ofugo-Abejukolo road in Ankpa and Omala Local Government Areas as sponsored by Hon. Alfa M. Rabiu (Ankpa II Constituency) and Hon. Ahmed Mohammed (Ankpa I Constituency).
Consequent upon the resolution of the House on the two Motions, the Committee met and deliberated exhaustively on how to carry out the assignment effectively.
Mr. Speaker, my colleagues, the committee saw the importance of these projects to the life of the people hence the members immediately swung into action on Monday 17th Oct, 2016. We first visited the road and thereafter moved straight to Oguma/Sheriya Bridge.
FINDINGS
The Committee having gone round the two projects came out with the followings:
ANKPA-ABEJUKOLO ROAD.
1. That the Ankpa-Ejegbo-Emere-Enabo-Ofugo-Abejukolo road is really very bad and in fact in a total dilapidation and that it has become almost completely unmotorable.
2. That the journey which ordinarily could have lasted for 10minutes took more than almost an hour due to the bad condition of the road.
OGUMA/SHARIYA BRIDGE.
1. That the people of America are totally cut off by the collapse of Oguma/Sheria Bridge and this has indeed crippled the socioeconomic activities of this Area.
2. That the only alternative bridge linking the two Communities now is a local bridge made up of planks and woods which poses serious danger to the life of the people plying the road.
3. That the reconstruction of the collapse bridge which awarded to Vanguard Construction and Engineering LTD since last year was abandoned at 35% completion due to poor funding.
4. That based on the certificates for the 35% completion of job raised so far, the sum of N393,654,731.86 has been paid to the contractor leaving a balance of N156,477,867.07
5. That until recently the State Government under His Excellency Alh. Yahaya Adoza Bello re-mobilized the Contractor back to site. As at today the bridge has started receiving attention. The site has been cleared for further action.
RECOMMENDATION.
Rt. Hon. Speaker, Distinguished Members, based on the assessment carried out by the Committee on the three Local Government Areas, the Committee has come out with the following recommendations:
1. That since Ankpa-Ejegbo-Emere-Enabo-Ofugo-Abejukolo road was captured in 2016 Budget the State Government should endeavour to award the road as a matter of urgency and necessity for the benefit of the people living within and outside the area to boost the paralysed commercial activities of the people in this area.
2. That the Ministry of Works should as a matter of urgency look into the two certificates raised on the job and do the needful.
3. That the State Government should look at the plight of the people in the affected Communities and the danger they face in passing through the alternative bridge and release funds to complete the job without further delay.
4. That the State Government should endeavour to pay up the balance of the percentage of work done and mobilize the Contractor on the balance of the contract sum to enable him complete the Job.
CONCLUSION.
Rt. Hon. Speaker, in the course of this over-sight function, the Committee faced a lot of challenges but thanks to God Almighty and the entire Members of the Committee, the journey was successful.
We are thankful to all and sundry, I hope our recommendations if adopted will enable the State Government touch the life of our brothers and sisters in Ankpa, Omala and Bassa Local Government Areas, through the completion of this bridge and roads.
I thank you all.
Signed:
Hon. VICTOR ADEWALE OMOFAIYE.
Committee Chairman.
