National Wire About Nigerians, Nigerian Business and Other Stories
Awarding and re-awarding of contracts to fix the Omoku-Egbema Road in Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State has become a yearly recurrent expenditure to various contractors under new state governors. Currently, for the umpteenth time, this same road has been awarded to a new contractor, and just as ever, works on it never gets completed despite its huge budgeted sum being fully cashed out. Freelance Investigative Journalist, HELEN OKECHUKWU of National Wire, takes a fresh look at the current state of the road and wonders when its re-awarding mystery to fix it will ever end for residents and commuters to get daily easy ride.
Road works that never get completed
FOR this reporter, her long trip to the Omoku-Egbema road popularly labelled Ahoada reconstruction site, was with a bag of mixed feelings. Questions raged through her mind as she went to investigate the road causing nightmares for residents of the community over the last few years.
According to accounts given by various citizens, this same road project has been awarded and re-awarded in the last six years by different River State authorities, that residents said they have begun to lament if any governor would ever position himself to be the saviour so they can get benefit the road portends to have should it be fixed.
Omoku-Egbema is a major federal link road that connects residents, students and business owners to their respective locations of lifes endeavours in that region. It also links over 23 communities that make Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni a notable local government area between Rivers and Imo States.
Sadly, since 2017, life, living and commuting for residents, their businesses and other ventures have remained terrifying for the populations of its connecting communities as they have been mournful over the dilapidated and stalled works on the Omoku-Egbema road.
The most painful aspect they noted was that it keeps getting awarded and re-awarded over and again by various River State governments for reconstruction. Still, its getting completed remains a mirage.
Chronicles of awards by governors
READING through the 2020 budget document, records show that the sum of N93,968,823,766.60 billion was allotted to the Rivers Ministry of Works towards the funding of ongoing several road projects in the state. One of the road projects was the Omoku-Egbema road dualization listed to be upgraded. But this road has remained in a bad state since then.
According to the State Government’s Budget Performance second quarter report released on July 28, 2023, details indicate that in the year 2020, an actual budget of N9,851,569,700.00 billion was billed for the entire year’s expenses. However, in 2021, only N657,158,989.15 million was indorsed for the dualisation of Omoku-Egbema road in Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni local government area (ONElga).
In contrast to the mentioned sums, the report documents show that the performance during the months of January to June 2023 only reached N1,000,000,000.00 billion thereby raising questions on what could be responsible for the road’s persistently poor condition despite the approved funds cum cash outs to contractors for its construction.
Still in 2023, during the launch to reinitiate the phase two of the Omoku-Egbema project, former Governor Nyesom Wike, gave assurance at the ceremony that his successor would continue and complete the project, accenting that funding would not be an issue. He then promptly approved another N78 billion for the completion of other ongoing development schemes which included the Omoku-Egbema road project.
Emphatically, Wike said: The man who is going to take over from me will have to complete the project, so, money is not a problem for this project.
As things stand, the Omoku-Egbema road project has again, been re-awarded and contracted to another construction company named Setraco Nigeria Limited by the incumbent Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
This is a company that seems active on the CAC and b2bhbint portal and had received the sum of N5.2billion out of the actual cost of N7.5 billion total sum; but it is visibly inactive on the project site for which it had been paid.
While our correspondent was on the site, there was no construction in progress; only three bulldozers were seen but the usual heavy equipment notable for major road works were strikingly absent.
There were no site managers or workers to speak with for their comments. Every effort to locate their offices proved abortive as they were not seen on the addresses given. No telephone numbers were seen on the faded side boards to contact any of their officials. Worse still, there was no drainage system on any sides of the road for flood waters to outflow.
Reporters on-site visit
Paying a visit to the Omoku-Egbema road project site for a few hours on Wednesday, September 6, 2023 brought this reporter face-to-face with a heart-wrenching, rundown road condition which does not portray any amount of money being expended on it.
Asking a few of the commuters seen around, everyone begged to be left alone as their hearts are heavy that no government has cared about their plights since years the road had been in that same condition. As if planned, each person waved a leave me alone to the reporter as they walked along.
On individual inspection, she saw a long and wide stretch of road riddled with potholes at various sites making it terribly unmotorable. A portion of the dual carriageway from its entrance to the entrance of the Federal College of Education (FCE), Omoku, is a sorry sight with gulches and craters big enough to sit a vehicle.
Also, the lane leading to the FCE from Ikriri road is barricaded with a long tape due to its being cut-off with asphalt. That portion is currently said to be filled with sand by a current construction company called Setraco, forcing all road users to share a single lane for their travels. In fact, the blocked-off section has become a pick-up and drop-off spot for motorcyclists known as “Okada ” for their passengers.
Checking the road few kilometers further down, residents and commuters were seeing paddling through a bothersome drainage system that would have helped the rainwater runoff effectively had it been better channeled.
As this reporter grasped the reality, the whole condition of the road reflects a terrible deficiency in infrastructure with no hope of a reprieve currently in sight stirring empathy as residents continue to raise concerns about imminent flooding and water accumulation as they are presently experiencing with ongoing showery downpours.
Before leaving the site however, the reporter sighted only a handful of construction workers at the project site but with no commencement of full works on its rehabilitation.
Sequence of Omoku-Egbema road contracts
IT ALL started in year 2002 answered Barry Ameachi Willie, in an online interview. He noted: I dont understand all these troubles we have been subjected to these past years. You see this Omoku-Egbema road, it was first awarded for dualisation and reconstruction by the then state governor, Dr. Perter Odili, but till he left office, nothing much was done on it not to talk of merely completing it.
Then, entered the former state governor Nyesom Wike, who also ceremoniously announced that the same road had been re-awarded for reconstruction and dualisation in 2017 at the sum of N12.7billion to a company named Darycet International Limited.
Just as his predecessor, till the end of Wikes second-term exit from office, the road remained in its decrepit state not seeing any sign of improvement. It is from that point on that we have been on this ill fate inflicted on us by those we duly voted for, the old man noted.
The reporter also gathered that this same road was later re-awarded by the current Governor Siminalayi Fubara in August, 2023 at the sum of N7.5 billion to Setraco Nigeria Limited with an almost immediate cash out of N5.2billion first instalment mobilization fee for the contractor.
Further investigations revealed that only about 25 percent of works on the 23.7Km road was constructed when it was awarded in 2017, but the signpost at the construction site gives no names of contractors or their contacts.
Similarly, searches on both the State Ministry of Works and the Bureau of Public Procurement give no details on the contractors, neither were any pieces of information made available to anyone in need of such; just as there was a signboard at the construction site with no names of contractors indicated.
Residents and business owners lamentations
A commercial Okada rider, Uche Nwoko, from which he derives his livelihood narrates his harrowing experiences to the reporter. He said: This road is so bad that once it rains, our businesses for such days are restricted. Just look at things (pointing), there are some places you dare not venture to put your bike tire inside. Like others, we are really praying to God for the road to be completed quickly this time around though I cannot predict how long that could be. We can only hope that the contractors would be kind enough to come and complete it fast within the time they may have been given.”
Another elderly businesswoman, Mama Adah, whose shop is located along Omoku-Egbema road, but pleaded for anonymity on her real names, fuming with anger lamented the costs of transportation she expends daily added to the difficulties her customers face in the attempt to patronize her. She said her expectation has been lost given their daily sufferings on the road for which they have no clue when such would end, while hoping that the current state government will complete it this time around.
Directing her anguish to the reporter, she retorted: “You can see for yourself, even a blind person working on a smooth road would know it, just as if working on a bad road, he will know. So, there is nothing more to say on what you can clearly see. I just dont know which state government has the capacity to get the road fixed,” she said with frowns on her brow.
Also spoken with was a female food seller who wouldnt disclose her identity, but said: Where do I start from? The challenges and dangers we face daily for being both a resident who also runs a small business due to this terrible road cannot be all narrated in one day. My younger sister was actually a victim of an accident due to the badness of this road. What about others victims and how many do we count comprising bikers, tricycle drivers and commercial plus private vehicle owners, she asked with resignation as she turned to what she was cooking.
Continuing, she added: “The road is also badly affecting people of Omoku, a nearby community who are business owners. Since they are not able to get to their business locations, many of them have turned to operating by the main road side. We have even seen people fall when their vehicles, bikes and mostly tricycles suddenly enter the potholes. Recently, a tricycled somersaulted and its passengers sustained broken legs while one got slightly injured. That was the accident my younger sister was involved in, and that is aside several others I cannot recount for each day as we witness here.”
“No matter how cautious a driver is, people will fall once they enter the potholes already covered by floods. And because they dont know how deep the spot is, it becomes a problem. Honestly, I am weeping for Nigeria as a whole. Its like the state governors are not aware of the importance of the Omoku-Egbema road to the entire nation.
“This is a major road leading to different places is in a very bad condition. Its now left for Setraco, the contracting company head, someone from this area, to realize his need to the reconstruct and rehabilitate the road, rather than patching it as others had done in the last few years.
The food seller further said: When we heard that they have given the contract to the contractors, it raises some hope but soon quickly dashed when we see them patching it and we are left disappointed. I have not even spoken about the poor drainage system. And whenever rain is falling, water enters peoples shops due to no drainages as the gutters are not channeled elsewhere, so it flows into residents houses and compound. It results in low patronages as everything stops for some hours. At times, we even stop in our shops without selling a single thing so we go home empty-handed. We can only ask God to help us take care of everything, she lamented.
Another motorcyclist, Kenneth (aka Ken), who hails from Omoku, said: For me, I want to appeal to the government to extend their hands of kindness to our community called Oguta and I am asking all the people including the contractors responsible for this bad road projects and not willing to complete it, to desist from their wicked acts.
Continuing in pidgin English, he said: I wan tell the government to connect from dis area to water side and make dem dey smooth like the way Ahoada own dey. Dis one dem dey do like e dey now, we no want am. Make the persons wey dey hold our joy, make dem commot hand. Make dem chop dem money dey go another side, but make dem leave us make this our road dey clear, make shame commot for our face cos our name don go far.
While also disclosing that the understanding they got was that the contracts awarded were to spread from one boundary to another boundary and was meant to be handled by different contractors, he said with his little understanding; I want to plead that this particular road should be constructed by the more reputable company, Julius Berger which currently handles the works from Ahaoda to Okposi.”
Kenneth too, further affirmed that that isn’t the first-time construction works is done on Omoku-Egbema road which often rarely span a construction duration beyond one year. In fact, dis no be the first, two or three times the road dey spoil sef. Na every year after dem say dem don repair am, e go spoil again after dem work. Anywhere wey open, we know say na pigeon hole we shit dey enter, e don spoil be that.
Explaining his lamentations further in better narratives, Kenneth, close to tears said: To say this is the same village I have lived all my life, I never saw where a major road got patched thrice instead of doing real reconstruction to rehabilitate it. And its only the contractor that tried his best that even did some patching. So, the issue is what can we do in this circumstance? They subject us to suffering on both vehicular movements and bikes riding that have gotten so old due to the bad roads we ply; yet, we dont know when all these will even come to an end, he bemoaned all through in pidgin English.
An indigene of ONElga, Barry Amaechi Willie, said that with the way the former contractor, Darycet International Limited, handled the road project; he was of the opinion that the money paid by the government could have been embezzled, hence, its inability to completed the road since 2017.
As far as I know, most of the governments contracting firms are often ‘pipe drains’ used to siphon billions of monies over the years under the guise of development projects to make the communities better for the people, whereas, nothing changes,” he said.
He also told the reporter that they had sent diverse complaints and appeals to the conscience of previous River state governments to get them complete the road; but till date, there are no results after several attempts. So now, we are just watching to see what would be the end of the dilapidated road while we have all become regular customers to mechanic shops. Aside that, several accidents have been recorded due to the bad state of the road with some victims being school children who always have difficulties crossing the road to and from their schools.
In addition to that, the hardships that this bad road had inflicted on us all are unprecedented as it has worsened the economic conditions of the various community in the local government area. Our purchasing powers are now near zero as we are almost on the verge of complete breakdown of economic activities due to the road disrepair,” Willie lamented.
Also spoken with was the community development (CDC), chairman, Mr. Emeka Ogbowu, who spoke with our correspondent via phone also lamented that the road project awarded to Darycet International Limited had failed with its being left abandoned. He said it was common knowledge that the contracting firm was supposed to work from Obrikom to Egbema as was widely reported at the start, but to see that years after, the same project is not yet completed, and you rarely see them working, but failing and leaving everywhere in shambles, messed up and not making life any easier for us as people is just too painful to say the least, Ogbowu groaned.
Contractors phony registration with the CAC On checking the registration status of Darycet International Limited on the CAC portal, the result received was ‘inactive status.’ Also seen was that the company had not filed its annual financial returns for the last two years.
Another concern raised on the legality of the companys eligibility was its being dubbed ‘inactive’ on the CAC portal and how it was able to secure an allegedly sum of N12.7billion contract in 2017 for government projects.
A caution was also seen on the CAC portal that awarding government contracts to inactive companies is a breach of the Public Procurement Act of 2007. It also states that this breach disqualifies bidders who have outstanding tax, charges, pensions, or social insurance payments unless they have obtained the appropriate permits or arrangements to address those obligations.
Yet, Darycet International Limited, despite its stark absence on the portal, got the contract it is yet to complete years after.
Other concerns raised about the absence of a monitoring committee to oversee the progress of the road project. This situation highlights the need for government accountability and transparency.
Reporters visit to Darycet office
Darycet International Limited, which gave its office address as No 99, Trans Amadi Industrial Layout as seen on a b2bhbint website”, Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, has no physical presence when this reporter went to the location.
Also, on its signpost mounted by the road project, there was no contact or location of the company.
However, doing an online search on the company, this reporter discover that Darycet had been inactive for thirteen years prior to being awarded the road project by former Governor Wike in 2017.
Findings on the CAC also shows that the company is among those penned to delisted from its portal. Similarly, searches on Check-NG and b2bhint portals affirmed Darycets inactive status.
In spite of being inactive, Darycet displayed a certificate of operation, which expired the same year it was obtained from a foreign company in 2017 on its website. Findings still show that previous projects carried out by the company were of substandard quality.
Community advocates concerns
A Peace Ambassador in the community, Mr. Bright Abali, recounted how he was arrested in November 2022 by Omoku security personnel because he had planned to protest with some community members against the poor construction of the road project. He said it took the agitation of some youths in the community to get him released few days after all in the bid to ask for their rights to good roads.
Also, an advocate of change with Omoku Youth Federation (OYF), Osiah Chinedu, who was visibly emotionally shaken by the situation said he is grossly disappointed with what has been going on within their community as per the road projects. He lamented that the neglected road currently posed threats on their lives in the community despite being the highest oil producing region in Rivers State.
He notes: For crying out loud, we are the highest producers of oil and gas so I don’t know why we should be treated this way. Go and check the last Nigerian National Petroleum (NNPC) annual booklet to see how much our community produced, stressing that he will continue, as a driving force, to clamour for the completion of the road.
Omoku-Egbema Road re-awarded to another inactive company
LIKE a venture akin to ill-fate, the Ebocha-Ndoni road, has again been committed into the care of another inactive company on the CAC portal called Fezinat Service Company Limited.
Fezinat Service Company Limited, which gave its office address as Plot 16, Pipeline Road, as seen on a CAC website, Omoku, Rivers State, has no physical presence when this reporter went to the location.
A further extensive investigation also reveals that Fezinat as a service company is currently not listed as an active entity on both the CAC and b2hbint portals, rather, it shows that the company had been inactive over a period of 20 years and being scheduled for dismissal within the next two months.
Another search reveals that the details of the awarded contract are not found on the Public Procurement website.
However, this latest re-award came after the current Rivers State government granted the second phase of its rehabilitation covering an 18Km stretch from Ebocha to Ndoni road Junction.
He also noted that granting government contracts to companies that are not currently active violates and automatically disqualifies potential bidders who have unpaid taxes, fees, pensions, or social insurance contributions from being awarded such indentures.
While it is visibly seen by residents and commuter in the community that the Omoku-Egbema road is still in disrepair as personally witnessed by this reporter when she visited; a shocking video publication was seen aired on Facebook by an online TV showing the Chairman, ONElga Elders Council, Chief J. U. Obi, appreciating the state Governor Siminalayi Fubara for purportedly keeping his word by working on the Ebocha-Ndoni road project that was just awarded on the 24th of August 2023 as a commitment made by the former governor, Nyesom Wike.
In the online clip, the Chief was quoted as saying: We are pleased with what our ex-governor and the serving governor have done for us in ONElga because the former gave us that assurance this contract will be awarded whether he is in office or out of office, and the current governor has awarded the contracts. We appreciate the Rivers State government.
On the contrary however, site manager, Ebocha-Ndoni road, Nkem Nwaribe, explaining the workload, said: the construction begins from Ebocha axis straight to Ndoni. We are cutting all the failed sections, and we are making sure that all the sections are properly treated, indicating that works were still ongoing in variance to it being completed or commissioned.
Comments from works ministry
WHEN this reporter visited the Rivers State Ministry of Works, she was told by some of the officials at the information unit that the details of the money disbursed to the contractors were not available and asked her to return at a later date. But as at the time of filing this report, no response has been received from the Works Ministry, rather, the press officer said hell still make necessary finding and revert later.
Visit to the Rivers Bureau of Public Procurement
ON the reporters visit to the Evaluation Department in the Bureau of Public Procurement office, she was told that the information required cannot be accessed easily due to its unavailability.
Still, concerted efforts got intensified for the following week to get the reactions of both Rivers State Ministry of Works, Bureau of Public Procurements, and three contractors on details about the contacts cum payments; but all proved abortive as calls after calls as well as follow-ups via SMS and emails from our reporter never got responded to till the publication of this report.
Again, our reporter contacted Paul Bazia, Press Officer to Rivers State Commissioner of Works, on Friday 15th September, who promised to revert on details of the payments made to the three contractors, as he simply said: I just called the guy that is supposed to be in charge of the interior road in Elelenwo, but he is on site and might not be returning to the office soonest.
“As it is now, both of us might not be around on Monday, 18th September 2023, because there was supposed to be a flag-off at Obakiri, but the governor travelled. However, if that function will hold, it will be difficult for me to get to the office. But if didn’t hold as expected, and the governor wasnt around by the weekend, then, I will go to the office and get all of the details to give you, Bazia assured.
Its been several weeks after sending requests and reminders for details on the Omoku-Egbema road project, backed with follow-ups in order to get insights on why it has remained uncompleted for years. However, neither the contractors involved, relevant officials from both the Ministry of Works and Bureau of Public Procurement; have all yet responded to the quests.
As at the time of this publication, the waiting game continues with expectations that they will provide official information to help the itchy public understand the mysteries behind the same road being awarded and re-awarded over the years without results.
This report is part of the obligation to complete the Africa Foundation for Young Media Professionals training.
