FG decries delay in completion of federal roads in Cross River

The Federal Government has condemned the pace of work and the delay in the completion of some road projects in Cross River State.

The government specifically expressed displeasure with the rate of work done on the Ugep-Alesi and Ogoja-Abuochiche axis of the Calabar-Ikom-Katsina-Ala federal highway in the state despite the release of funds.

The Chairman of Fiscal Responsibility Commission, Mr. Victor Muruako, expressed his disappointment yesterday in Ogoja when he led a verification team on tour of the projects in the state.

He said there was no reason for further delay on the completion of the job when funds had been released by President Muhammadu Buhari for most capital and infrastructural projects nationwide.

Muruako asked the contractor handling the rehabilitation of Ogoja-Abuochichie federal road to complete the job on time. He also directed the firm to deploy more workers and equipment to ensure early completion to meet its 2018 deadline.

He condemned the quality of work on the rehabilitation of Alesi-Ugep road in the central senatorial district of the state.

The commission’s chairman who did not state the amount that has been released for the projects, told the contractors that President Buhari’s administration would not condone substandard jobs.

The Federal Controller of Works in the state, Mr. Chinwuba Agbara, pledged effective supervision of the projects to ensure that the government gets value for the money so far released.

The Project Manager of the firm in charge of Ogoja-Abuochiche axis of the project, Mr. Yang Zhidong, assured that they would strive to meet the January 31, 2018 completion deadline.