The special adviser to the Governor of Delta State on Projects monitoring/Audit Engr. Goodnews Agbi has promised to institutionalize a task force across the three senatorial districts to ensure all road projects in the state are done to standard and specification.
He made this known during a media chat with newsmen immediately after he resumed office at the State Secretariat in Asaba, Delta State.
According to him “Our activities here cover all construction projects. We are to monitor every road project across the state, as a Fellow of Nigeria Society of Engineers FNSE, Fellow of Nigeria Institution of Civil Engineers FNICE, and a Fellow of Nigeria Institution of Structural Engineers FNIstructE in view we are to get it perfect based on our training. Our profession is distasteful to poor construction ethics. Our own is to ensure that the contractors do all that is in the details of their contract.
He further said that Delta State has a governor who meant well for the state, saying that by bringing in a company like Julius Berger, the governor wants perfection, adding that “as a monitoring group we will help the governor perfect all the works that are going on in the state to ensure the jobs are done to specification.”
He reiterated that jobs that are not done to specifications will be repeated, stating that the governor is going at a very fast speed, and we must keep up the pace. “We must be the best in terms of our road construction and vertical structures. We cannot be the best in terms of road construction if we don’t monitor the contractors. We will ensure all roads follow proper supervision and specification,” he emphasized.
While assuring that the office of the special adviser to the governor was out to do something different, he said the asphalt laid on projects would be properly done and meet the standard specified for the project.
“The essence of bringing Julius Berger is that he wants quality jobs, he has rekindled the hope of Deltans and we cannot be left out. Ours is to help him to get the MORE AGENDA of the government. We will try as much as possible to bring the best from the contractors by giving them proper supervision.
“Our supervision will not stop at going to the site to see the projects alone. We must ensure the bill of engineering measurement, BEME is carried out to the latter. The specifications must be achieved. We are also going to do what we call integrity test on all the contractual works.
“We have a marching order to ensure jobs are done properly, we will liaise with the ministries concerned in the area they are lacking. You can’t just construct a road by using shovels to lay asphalt. We will ensure that such roads are constructed according to specifications.
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“We will advise accordingly based on our professional standards. It is going to be difficult for somebody to reject our opinion. The governor has rekindled the hope of Deltans and will key into it with the ‘MORE AGENDA’.
“The governor is passionate about executing projects for Deltans, you can see his strides in his 100 days in office commissioning projects. It means he is a project master. And we are ready to back him up professionally because Deltans must benefit from the dividends of democracy.”
He also advised contractors not to cut corners but to ensure that all projects are carried out in line with designed standards and specifications.
He commended the state governor for putting square pegs on square holes.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Project Monitoring/Audit Mrs Patricia Esejo promised that all hands would be on deck to work assiduously with the special adviser to the governor on Project Monitoring/Audit.
She commended the state governor His Excellency Rt. Hon. Sherrif Francis Oborevwori for appointing Engr. Chief Goodnews Agbi as his special adviser on Project Monitoring/Audit in the state.
