Funds may stall Delta workers’ housing scheme

PAUCITY of funds may stall the completion of the 150 units low-cost housing project in Delta State.

The project located on Ibuzu area of the state; designed for civil servants and kick- started by Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan in August last year was billed for completion before his exit date.

Work was abandoned in the project in November last year after the buildings in the premises made up of 50 units of one bedroom, two bedrooms and three bedrooms apartments were roofed.

Governor Uduaghan, who visited the site around October, last year during the construction, had promised to hand over the keys to the buildings to benefitting workers before the exit of his administration.

The Guardian, which visited the project site, discovered that it had been taking over by bushes and erosion is threatening its access roads.

The Managing Director of an Enugu-based Fit Consult, Chief Loreta Aniagolu, which is handling the project, said the company suspended work on the site due to non- remittance of funds.

She said that about 60 per cent payment had been made by government on the N700 million project, stressing that her company had written various letters for release of funds to no avail. “We are appealing that government release funds to enable us complete the project or they should give us approval to source funds to complete it”, she said.

Asked how long it could take to complete the job, she said that it was still possible to be handed over before the exit date of the Uduaghan government.

“We are sure that within three weeks maximum, we can hand over the project. There is water already here awaiting reticulation. The access roads have been done but require cleaning up due to the stoppage of work. It is a project that will impact effectively on the work force”, she said.

She said that the buildings were designed in such a way that costing will be cheap.

An official of the state ministry of works had said on anonymity that the former commissioner of works and now chief of staff, Chief Paulinus Akpeki had worked hard to ensure the completion of the project.