The Senator Abdul Ningi-led Senate Ad-hoc Committee on fact-finding on East-West has expressed concern over the duplication of East-West road contract, which is yet to be completed for many years now.
The duplication of the award of contract, the lawmaker said, involved the Federal Ministry of Works, Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, state and local governments, stating that the development threw up compromises on the road engineering concepts and construction.
Ningi spoke while on a fact-finding mission with his panellists to Eket Local Government Council in Akwa Ibom State on Monday.
The lawmaker expressed disappointment at the portions which have disintegrated after a few months of construction due to the lack of quality and faulty engineering design, adding that “it was unfortunate that contractors handling the projects were taking things for granted.
“That is one thing we have found out on the ground of awards by the Federal Ministry of Works, NDDC, the various state governments of the Niger Delta region and even the Local governments.
“We were also disturbed that while we have noticed dilapidation of the road, we saw from the initial concept engineering that they did not do the scientific needful of testing the soil of getting the required attention on the road, and that has to do with some compromises.”
The lawmaker vowed to conduct a public hearing on the failed project to allow the people to ask questions with a view to reordering legislative attention that would facilitate the completion of the East West Road.
He wondered how the road, which he described as “strategic to the economy of the nation,” defied four past administrations until the 10th National Assembly would have to intervene.
