Abandoned Oleh Campus Project: I will complete project by April 17 says Contractor

By Simeon Okworide 

The ministry of higher education has ordered A&J Construction Company to go back to site and complete the abandoned Workshop/Laboratory Project (I Unit) at the faculty of engineering of the Delta State University, Oleh campus with immediate effect or face a legal action.

This was contained in letter addressed to the managing director of A&J Construction with office at Anwai-illah road, opposite ministry of Housing, Asaba and signed by Mrs M.O. Amromanoh for honorable commissioner of the ministry which captioned: Re: Construction of a Workshop/Laboratory (I Unit) at the faculty of engineering Delta State University, Oleh Campus dated 12 January 2017 had instructed the construction company to go back to site and complete the abandoned project in view of the fact that the project has been paid for in the sum of 26,275,133.50 (Twenty Six million, Two hundred and seventy five thousand, one hundred and thirty three naira, fifty kobo to the construction company since December 2016.

It was gathered from the letter that the honorable commissioner of the ministry and his team visited the site on the 11^th January 2017 and found out there was no work going on at the site and this prompted the ministry to call the attention of the construction company through a letter which the provost, Delta State University, Oleh Campus and the president General of Isoko Development Union were copied.

“You are by this letter therefore requested to go back to site immediately, failing which a legal action will be taken against your company” it says.

Sensing trouble, after the involvement of the police, the managing director of the A&J construction, Mr. Nigel Benson wrote an undertaking duly signed by him on the 17^th February 2017, in the presence of IDU president High Chief Iduh Amaidhe, Chief C.A.O Utuedhe (Otota of Iyede Kingdom) and Daniel Odhomo that he will complete the said project by April 17, 2017 and failure to do so, he should be arrested.

The undertaking read thus:

An undertaking in respect of the completion of Lab Project in Engineering Faculty, Oleh Campus Delta State University.

“ I Mr Nigel Benson accepted that from today 17^th of February 2017 to 17^th of April 2017, I will complete this project of building of lab project in Engineering Faculty, I will complete the outstanding works, Tarazo, Roller Shutter, Painting, Electrical Fittings, Plumbing Fittings, etc. all will be completed at the above set date 17^th April 2017, failure to complete the job, I should be arrested, I will be reporting back to the station on the 17^th march 2017 for inspection of the work at the site”. He wrote