President Goodluck Jonathan has declared that the Federal Government will henceforth blacklist contractors that are found guilty of executing shoddy jobs across the country.


Also to be affected in the blacklisting are contractors who fail to deliver projects within the time frame specified in their contracts despite being paid.


Jonathan said these on Monday while receiving a delegation of leaders of thought from the South-East led by a former Vice President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, at the State House, Abuja.


He said his administration would not tolerate a situation where contractors would deliver substandard jobs to the detriment of Nigerians.


This, he added, informed the decision of the Federal Executive Council to consider the report of the Presidential Project Assessment Committee sector by sector.


He said having considered the power sector, the council would at its next meeting consider the works sector. He added that in fulfilment of his electoral promise to the people of the region, he had already directed the Minister of Works, Mr. Mike Onolememen, to initiate the process of starting the construction of the second Niger Bridge.


The President assured the South-East leaders that the new bridge would be completed before he leaves office in 2015.


“The minister of finance will take it as one of our priority projects for the next three budget years or so. God willing, we should deliver the bridge before we conclude by 2015,” he said.


He also promised that his administration would tackle the issue of deplorable roads across the country headlong.


The President said the government would develop a standard for road construction, especially as it involved state governments that might want to construct federal roads and get reimbursement later.


While acknowledging that security challenges had been minimal in the South-East, Jonathan sought the cooperation of all Nigerians to surmount the challenges.


He said he was waiting for the report of the committee probing post-election violence in some parts of the North to submit its report before his administration would take a decision on compensation.


“We may not be able to replace everything, but there must be a good gesture so that the victims will know that the government cares,” he said.


Earlier, Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State presented a six-point request to the president on behalf of the region.


Obi, who is also the chairman of the South-East Governors’ Forum, identified the second Niger Bridge, deplorable roads, building of Enugu Coal Plant and the upgrading of the Sam Mbakwe Cargo Airport as some of the requests.



PUNCH NEWSPAPER

^^

Bros, how are Nnewi roads these days?

nnewi roads used to be bad back in the days i remember people used to fix govt roads back then but now is  a lot better nnewi is changing very fast and obi have done some good roads as well,last time i went home i thought i was in another city too many banks too and more industries i think i prefer the old nnewi thou our culture values is disappearing i see less indigence these days most people in nnewi are not from nnewi 

Posted by: ak47mann

nnewi roads used to be bad back in the days i remember people used to fix govt roads back then but now is a lot better nnewi is changing very fast and obi have done some good roads as well,last time i went home i thought i was in another city too many banks too and more industries i think i prefer the old nnewi thou our culture values is disappearing i see less indigence these days most people in nnewi are not from nnewi

LOL. I feel like that sometimes too. My local church (which I attended as kid ) is now totally strange to me. Not a single recognizable face or name. Since everybody just packed up and left, while others from elsewhere in Nigeria moved in.

But you know with development, it is either you have it or you don't.

Onlytruth:

Posted by: ak47mann
LOL. I feel like that sometimes too. My local church (which I attended as kid ) is now totally strange to me. Not a single recognizable face or name. Since everybody just packed up and left, while others from elsewhere in Nigeria moved in.

But you know with development, it is either you have it or you don't.

true nnewi is always busy since i was a child but i agree with you may i ask are you from umudim?

Yes, govt should blacklist erring contractors. Failure to carry out contractual agreement is corruption.

If the govt can do this, it will be reducing corruption in an area, and is a step towards the overall anti-corruption war.

jamace:

Yes, govt should blacklist erring contractors. Failure to carry out contractual agreement is corruption.

If the govt can do this, it will be reducing corruption in an area, and is a step towards the overall anti-corruption war.

you are correct