The Ekiti State Government on Wednesday revoked the contract for the rehabilitation of Ayede-Ikun-Otun Ekiti Road, valued at N3.2 billion, awarded to Sharvet Nigeria Limited, a construction firm, in January.
“The contract has been revoked because the company did not mobilise to site and commence work immediately, as contained in the terms of agreement,” Muyiwa Olumilua, Commissioner for Information, told newsmen in Ado Ekiti.
Olumilua said government took the action because it found the firm “grossly incompetent”.
He, however, added that the contractor would not be prosecuted because he willingly complied with the revocation order and surrendered the project.
Olumilua said the Council approved the revocation and re-awarded the job to another company considered to be more prepared and capable of prosecuting it before the raining season.
He said: “We have a standing policy: when we award a contract, we expect the contractor to first mobilise to site and display capacity before financial mobilisation.
“This has been the standard in Ekiti.
“We awarded four road contracts at the same time in January, but Sharvet Nigeria Limited refused to mobilise to site to commence work, while the three others are already working as agreed.
“Anytime we award contracts, we believe we are dealing with a contractor that has the competence; once this is lacking, we revoke the contract and this was what we did in the interest of our people.”
The commissioner also disclosed that government had approved N322.76 million for the rehabilitation of Igbara Odo-Ibuji Road, which included patching of damaged portions of the road and other works.
Olumilua added that the council approved N100 million for the commencement of rehabilitation of township roads in Ekiti, which would be executed in phases and touch virtually all the strategic 133 towns across the state.
According to the commissioner, the council also approved the Regulatory Unit Strategic Plan 2020-2022, which will serve as a guide for the full implementation of the water supply and sanitation policy of the government.
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