Ogunpa: FG sacks consultant, to re-award contract
By Sola Shittu,
Reporter, Ibadan
The Federal
Government has ordered the immediate dismissal of Konsadem Associates, the
Project Consultant for the middle Ogunpa channelisation project in Ibadan, to
pave way for the re-award of the contract in about two weeks time.
The decision came
on the heels of a similar fate that befell another contractor, ELDORADO Nigeria
Limited, which was sent packing for its shoddy handling of the contract.
Oyo State
Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Alhaji Ashiru Adelani, who
disclosed this in an exclusive interview with Daily Independent in Ibadan, also
stated that a new consultant was appointed three weeks ago to replace Konsadem
Associate, which was led by one Mr. Adeyemi. The new consultant, Prime
Consultant led by Mr. Suleiman Musa, according to Adelani, was given only two
weeks within which to submit his findings to the supervising agent for the
Ogunpa project, Ogun, Oyo River Basin Development Authority. The commissioner
said the new consultant has met the deadline for the submission of his reports
to the minister.
“I believe by
now, the minister should have sent the reply to the Due Process Office and
after a week, the office will also submit its own report to the
minister,” he said.
According to him,
all things being equal, the middle Ogunpa project is expected to be re-awarded
to another contractor in about two weeks time.
Adelani said the
contract this time was being considered through selective tendering and three
contractors were for consideration.
The contractors
include Hitech Nigeria Limited, Setraco Nigeria Limited and RCC Nigeria Limited
but hnted that Hitech has been dropped from the list leaving only Setraco and
RCC.
Adelani dismissed
the fear of an outbreak of malaria fever epidemic among residents living by the
river bank, saying since there is free flow of water now, there should not be
any fear of malaria or flood in the area.
As a way of
preventing dumping of refuse and blockage of the river channel, he said the
state government has agreed to construct a road beside a portion of Ogunpa
stream while trees would be planted on the other side.
Meanwhile, Governor
Rashidi Ladoja has approved the repairs of the refuse collection vehicles of
the Ibadan solid waste authority to enhance the removal of refuse from skip
bins.
