Fresh contractor takes over FG’s IDP hostel in Abia

The Federal Government has officially appointed a fresh contractor, Messrs Jalingo Limited, to complete the outstanding work at the Internally Displaced Persons’ (IDP) hostel in Abia.

The government handed over the site, located at Mgbarakuma Ubakala, Umuahia South Local Government Area, through the Presidential Committee on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation (PCFRR), on Friday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the brief ceremony was witnessed by officials of the Abia State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).

In a speech at the event, the Chief Administrative Officer of PCFRR, Mr Chibundu Emelogu, said that the committee was created by the then President Goodluck Jonathan, following the 2012 flood disaster.

Emelogu said that the contract was awarded in 2014 to C.S Vic Nigeria Limited, but pointed out that one of the hostels could not be completed due to some challenges.

According to him, the committee being desirous to complete its work across the country, decided to replace the contactor that abandoned its own project.

Emelogu envisaged that the new contractor, in line with the terms of conference, would complete the work in three months.

He assured the company of prompt payments, adding that it had committed not less than 50 per cent of the contract sum to ensure that the hostel was completed in due course.

Responding, the representative of the contractor, Mr Amobi Ebokan, promised to complete the project within the three-month timeline “provided the necessary funds are available”.

“We are promising that we will carry out standard job and in the next three months something better will be here,” Ebokan said.

In a statement, the Executive Secretary of SEMA, Dr. Sunday Jackson, conveyed the State government’s gratitude to the committee, describing the handover as a crucial event that would positively impact people’s lives.

Jackson stated that flooding had been a persistent occurrence in the country due to climate change and that Abia had received its fair share.

He also commended the Federal Government for setting up the resettlement centre, where people displaced by floods could be relocated, pending the return of normalcy and their reintegration back to their communities.

He assured the committee that the State Government would make maximum use of the project upon its completion.

“We have an action governor, Dr Alex Otti, who always wants to be involved, and he has given SEMA all the necessary support to ensure that it is strengthened.

“And if SEMA is to be strengthened, this place must be functional,” Jackson said.

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