Ebonyi Gov blasts contractor over shoddy job at Olympic Stadium, invites Julius Berger to take over work on effective delivery
CHIGOZIE AMADI
Ebonyi state governor’, Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru has lamented that there was execution of shoddy job at the state Olympic stadium site and directed the demolition of some sections of the project to make it international standard as envisioned by his predecessor-led administration.
Nwifuru stated this Thursday at the stadium project site, Abakaliki, while embarking on the statewide inspection of projects with stakeholders as a part of the lineup events to commemorate the 2024 independence anniversary of Nigeria and Ebonyi State creation, come October 1st.
Nwifuru, who was the immediate past Speaker of the State House of Assembly, disclosed that he was against the initiation of the project by his predecessor, Umahi, in considering its financial implications.
He, however, commended Umahi for initiating the project and assured of its completion under his administration, saying the reason necessitated him inviting Julius Berger Company to take over the job to ensure quality and effective delivery.
“I have asked China Civil Engineering Construction Company, CCECC to check the cost of demolishing this to the end and demolish the other side to the end and the implications of not having a complete line.
“So, the implication of having a complete line is that international and national activities can’t take place here. We are building here to compete with the Goodwill Akpabio International Stadium at Akwa Ibom.
“For us to get to that level, it may warrant us to demolish two of the whole lines in order to get it right. But considering what we earn as a state, a lot of money has been spent here. And if you spend 50kobo in 2022, now you are going to use 10 Naira to get it right.
“The foundation of the decking has been there; this is not a complete decking. We are stepping up into that. This is not a stadium yet, this is just a taste of what is going to happen.
“That’s what we invited Julius Berger to come and do. At the back, there is work that needs to be done at the facility for this place to qualify to be called an international stadium. Calling here Sani Abachi International Stadium, it has not been discussed because we are returning Abacha Lodge to The Abachas.
“We have some good brothers, though Abacha did a tremendous job for us. So we can name him (Abacha) one of the best properties, and it will form part of what we are going to discuss.
“This project is going to form part of the 2025 and 2026 budgets, and that’s why I deem it necessary to bring every stakeholder here to see the level of work done. And also to inform and educate them on the level of the work needed to be done to qualify this project as a stadium. That’s why we are here. I must commend my predecessor for initiating this project.
“I was the Speaker then, and I did everything to convince him not to start this project based on the economic value. The economic value of this project is very good because we need to attract a foreign project.
“This stadium is such a project that attracts foreign investment to our state, so I am very grateful to my predecessor for starting this because in governance, as a leader, you must inherit assets and liabilities, and that’s what is happening now.
“We must work hard to make the vision of my predecessor, who conceived this project, come to fruition. We have seen the inside but we need to go outside and see the level of work done as well,” Nwifuru said.
