Secret Reporters
The year 2018 may be a rough year for the Chairman of ULO Consultants, Chief Uche Luke Okpuno as he may be facing panel from the Delta State Government, who are out to probe some of the contracts awarded to him in the state by the past administration.
This revelation came on Monday when the State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa had a parley with journalists in Government House. The interactive session led to his exposition of efforts made by his government to get Okpunor to speed up on the pace of the Asaba Airport project but was unable to meet up to 50% work despite the huge money paid to him
“It is important that we realize that the state is bigger than any individual, we mounted a lot of pressure on the contractor handling the project, but, with all that, the work was still very slow; we did a 50 per cent mobilization and the project is supposed to be completed within a period of four months. We made the mobilization in October, 2015 but, the job is less than 25 per cent done and the contractor has pulled out.”
Commenting on the pullout of the giant local construction company, Okowa stated that “We, as a government, have accepted the withdrawal of the contractor from executing the job, in few months time; the job will be re-awarded to a credible contractor with a track record of project delivery.”
The Governor also disclosed that the Ministry of Works and that of Justice have invited ULO to a meeting to know the situation with that of Mariam Babangida Way, stating that that road is important but, his administration has not been able to do much on it to avoid legal issues with the contractor who was awarded the project before his assumption of office as Governor.
Secret Reporters gathered that the Asaba Airport will be re-awarded to Setraco while Okpuno will refund half of the money paid to him.