Prosecuting Failed Contractors
Constitutionally, the basic function of government is to initiate policies and programmes that will put smiles on the faces of its citizenry. Another statutory responsibility of any government is to protect life and property. Government at all levels site laudable projects to improve the living standard of the people.
In Rivers State, Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi’s government has awarded several contracts including road construction, building of schools, construction of bridges, building of schools, construction of hospitals, health centres and other developmental facilities. Amaechi’s government has good intention for the progress and the development of Rivers State.
In as much as the government has a good mind to develop the state, some contractors handling projects have abandoned their project sites. Most of them have already collected the total contract sum from the relevant government agencies, but refuse to mobilize to site.
Several projects have been abandoned within and outside the state capital. The Egbelu/Ogbogoro road has been abandoned long time ago.
Building of some health centres and model schools in the rural communities have been halted because of lack of seriousness in the part of the contractors. We are much concern with the series of abandoned projects across the length and the breadth of the state.
The relevant authorities should come out with an enabling law that will deal with any contractor who abandons government projects. It is high time government began to prosecute failed contractors, so that unserious contractors will stop frustrating the developmental policies of the government.
