By Daisi Omokungbe
AKOKO – The people of Epinmi, Simerin, Uba, and Ugbe communities in Akoko North-East, Akoko South West, and Akoko South-East local governments of Ondo state have appealed to the management of the Niger Delta Development Commission to reactivate and complete a road project that has been abandoned in the areas for years as the contractor has completely left the project sites.
The road project, the construction of 10km Ugbe/Epinimi road awarded in 2013 to Bacoy Construction Ltd. BACOY was incorporated in Port Harcourt, Nigeria with Registration Number 1026767. It was registered on 18th April 2012 and its current status is unknown. The company’s registered office address is located at 6, Douglas Close Off Peter Road, Port Harcourt, Rivers.
The people noted that the road has lately become a security threat living the communities as bandits and kidnappers daily terrorise the locals at will.
A community leader in the area, Dr. Ayodele Ategbole explained that the communities had jointly written several letters to the NDDC headquarters and the federal ministry of Niger Delta Affairs but without response nor any action to compel the contractor handling the project to come back to the site.
In the copies of the letter made available to FOLLOW THE PROJECT team, a letter dated January 21, 2020, addressed to the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, another dated February 25, 2020, addressed to the Acting Managing Director of NDDC, the third dated August 17, 2020, addressed to the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and fourth also dated August 17, 2020, addressed to the permanent secretary of Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs were duly submitted in Abuja and Port-Harcourt respectively without any response as of today and the road project remains abandoned.
FOI Request
FOLLOW THE PROJECTS team has a history of sending several requests to NDDC for the breakdown of cost and monies released to contractors on tracked abandoned projects but without any response from their headquarters in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. NDDC has no regard for the freedom of request law.
The Good News
One of our partners, HEDA Resource Centre has set up a legal team to take legal action against the unrepentant NDDC over its failure to honour FOI request.
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