VIDEO: 'It's sub-standard': Governor queries ₦10.8 billion project execution

Governor Umar Namadi of Jigawa State on Friday publicly expressed disappointment with the quality of work in a ₦10.8 billion Gully Erosion Control Project of the state government.

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“This is unacceptable, water will wash away this. We can’t take this; it’s not possible”, Mr Namadi said as he scratched the surface of a concrete structure.

The governor made the remarks during an on-site inspection of the project at Kargo in Dutse Local Government Area.

He questioned the project’s consultant and the site engineer over the use of low-quality materials and raised concerns about the durability of a project designed to last 100 years.

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“Where is the consultant? We can’t take this; it’s not possible. You are here and this (poor quality) work is being delivered?”

“It’s an error,” the consultant replied, but the furious governor interjected and said: “Why error everywhere?

“Where is the project engineer? What are you doing here? Why are you allowing this to happen?”

The rattled supervisor said the project was okayed by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON).

But the remark appeared to further enrage the governor.

“Don’t tell me that. Was it the SON that awarded the contract or the state government? Was the contract paid for by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria or the state government? It should be done according to my standards. This is wrong”.

The governor then directed the contractor to rework the faulty areas immediately.

The project to build a seven-kilometre concrete water route was flagged off on 30 November last year.

Supported by the World Bank, it is being executed by the state government under the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscape (ACReSAL) and was awarded to Retercha Company Limited.

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The route covers erosion-prone communities of Danmasara, Yalwawa, and Kargo in the state capital.

The project was awarded to address decades-long environmental challenges that have caused the degradation of farmlands, roads, and residential areas and destroyed people’s means of livelihood.