Wike gives works commissioner 24-hour ultimatum to commence road project or get fired

Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers, has threatened to sack Alabo George-Kelly, his commissioner for works, over the delay in the construction of a road in Abua/Odual LGA of the state.

Speaking at the flag-off of the construction of the Ekagho-Ogboloma-Adada link road on Friday, Wike said the commissioner has 24 hours to ensure the contractors mobilise to the site or risk dismissal from office.

While addressing locals at the construction site, Wike called on the representatives of Lubrik Construction — the company executing the contract — and demanded to know why the company is yet to begin work.

But he was told that the company would soon mobilise to site.

The governor then turned to the commissioner, saying, “They (the contractor) collected the money (for the roads) here, so why have they not mobilised?”

“Commissioner for works, I give you 24 hours. If they don’t move to the site, return our money immediately,” Wike said.

While blaming the commissioner, Wike said road projects are sometimes stalled because the supervising ministry fails to perform their oversight.

“You see, part of the problem — that’s why our problem is not only the company. Even those that are supervising the job are part of the problems we have,” he said.

“This company has collected the money more than two months ago and you’re telling us now that they are preparing after (they collected) money from us. Let them not move to the site till tomorrow, I will sack you as the commissioner for works.”

“You don’t take our money and keep it in the bank and do your other businesses and then the people are suffering.

“Before you know it — in March the rains will start and then you tell us: ‘it’s because of rain’. It can’t happen.”

Wike said he will appoint special assistants to monitor the progress of the contract and report to him monthly.

“In fact, the chairman of council, you must be giving me monthly reports of what is going on on these two roads in Abua/Odual. I don’t only want to depend on the reports from the ministry of works,” he said.

“What I will do now is to appoint people who will be my special assistants on these two roads so that we will monitor what the ministry of works is doing. 

“As they give me their own report, I monitor what they are doing because I’m no longer comfortable that a company that will collect money for two months and the commissioner is telling me they are preparing. I can’t believe this. When you people go, you collude with them.”