Cross River, contractor clash over misuse of N2bn project materials
Contractor firms handling the abandoned projects at the U.J. Esuene Stadium in Calabar, Henley Brecon and Mayfield Limited, is at loggerheads with the Cross River State Sports Commission over an alleged unauthorised use of the building materials meant to complete the project the company is handling.
Chairman of the company, Mr. Ozolua Giwa-Amu, has accused the sports commission chairman, Mr. Orok Duke, of tampering with the 22mm rods and other materials meant for completing the projects.
While Giwa-Amu, in an exclusive interview with correspondent, alleged that the materials were being used without his company’s permission, Duke on the other hand has asked the contractor to return the $14m his company allegedly received from the state government for the project.
Correspondent had reported last month that sports projects at the stadium and other locations in Calabar had been abandoned by contractors after receiving over N2bn from the state government for their completion.
The projects, which are at various stages of rot, were awarded during the administration of the immediate past governor of the state, Liyel Imoke. These projects include an indoor sports hall, hostel complex, swimming pool, handball and volley ball pitches, lawn tennis courts, hockey pitch and a football pitch.
The indoor sports hall contracted was said to have been awarded at the cost of N2.2bn, with the contract for the tartan tracks awarded at the cost of N124m and re-grassing of six football pitches for N74m. The contract for the swimming and training pools was also awarded for N433m.
Giwa-Amu had accused some top government appointees in the last administration of complicating matters.
However, in the latest development, which has pitted the contractor against the chairman of the sports commission, Giwa-Amu said that the rods were being pilfered to construct shops in the stadium.
He said, “It is wrong for the 22mm rods meant for heavy duty constructions to be used for the constructions of mere shops. The rods are on site and they have been purchased and paid for. Nobody has the right to tamper with them. No individual can take the law into their own hands.”
Giwa-Amu said that he would make formal complaints to the ministry in charge of the project before taking his next line of action.
“We are going to do formal complaints to the ministry of special projects over this development. You cannot just go into a site and take materials for another project. It is wrong, there has to be due process,” he said.
But the chairman of the sports commission alleged that Gina-Amun’s company had collected over N2.2bn for the uncompleted project that should have cost N1.1bn.
Duke alleged that the abandoned indoor sports hall was meant to be in two separate building referred to as ovals, adding that only one had been constructed half way after the contractor had allegedly collected N2.2bn.
“N2.2bn that was given for this project was for two ovals, that is the original design. It was for N1.1bn for one oval but he was given N2.2bn. This project has been assessed to be 25 per cent done, whereas he has collected 80 per cent. He has not even done the skeleton of the building. There is so much left to be done,” he said.
However, speaking specifically on the allegations by Giwa-Amu, the commission chairman, whose office is located within the stadium, disclosed that abandoned materials were being vandalised by the contractor’s workers who alleged that they were being owed salaries.
“Under my watch people are scooping government property for their private business. It cannot happen under my watch. I have been here for one year and his (contractor) workers are busy selling the materials because he has not paid them. The workers have sold nearly all the iron rods as their salaries.
“We cannot afford to have our athletes go to waste. What we are doing to use from the chippings to create a space for indoor sporting activities like table tennis and boxing. We cannot afford to look at those materials being stolen. We demolished the canteen here. We won’t deny using it, we are going to use the chippings and the rods,” he said.
However, in the latest development, which has pitted the contractor against the chairman of the sports commission, Giwa-Amu said the rods were being pilfered to construct shops in the stadium.
He said, “It is wrong for the 22mm rods meant for heavy duty constructions to be used for the constructions of mere shops. The rods are on site and they have been purchased and paid for. Nobody has the right to tamper with them. No individual can take the law into their own hands.”
Giwa-Amu said he would make formal complaints to the ministry in charge of the project before taking his next line of action.
“We are going to do formal complaints to the Ministry of Special Projects over this development. You cannot just go into a site and take materials for another project. It is wrong, there has to be due process,” he said.
But the chairman of the sports commission alleged that Gina-Amun’s company had collected over N2.2bn for the uncompleted project that should have cost N1.1bn.
Duke alleged that the abandoned indoor sports hall was meant to be in two separate building referred to as ovals, adding that only one had been constructed half way after the contractor had allegedly collected N2.2bn.
“N2.2bn that was given for this project was for two ovals, that is the original design. It was for N1.1bn for one oval but he was given N2.2bn. This project has been assessed to be 25 per cent done, whereas he has collected 80 per cent of the money. He has not even done the skeleton of the building. There is so much left to be done,” he said.
However, speaking specifically on the allegations by Giwa-Amu, the commission chairman, whose office is located within the stadium, disclosed that abandoned materials were being vandalised by the contractor’s workers who alleged that they were being owed salaries.
“Under my watch people are scooping government property for their private business. It cannot happen under my watch. I have been here for one year and his (contractor) workers are busy selling the materials because he has not paid them. The workers have sold nearly all the iron rods as their salaries.
“We cannot afford to have our athletes waste away. What we are doing is to use from the chippings to create a space for indoor sporting activities like table tennis and boxing. We cannot afford to look at those materials being stolen. We demolished the canteen here. We won’t deny using it, we are going to use the chippings and the rods,” he said.
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