EFCC Forces Errant Contractor Back To Site To Complete Project

EFCC Forces Errant Contractor Back To Site To Complete Project

The intervention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which compelled a contractor back to an abandoned site, is a novelty, which we commend.

According to news reports, Enerco Nigeria Ltd, was in 2012 awarded the rehabilitation of the 94-kilometre, Kontagora-Tunga-Shambo-Rijau rural road project in Niger State, and paid N300 million, out of the N1.24 billion naira cost of the project, by the Federal Ministry of Works. After doing a minute percentage of the job, the company reportedly abandoned the project.

Clearly, one of the greatest causes of the infrastructure challenge in our country is the abandonment of projects by contractors, across the length and breadth of our country. In this case, Mr. Musa Elkasas, the owner of the Enerco Nigeria Ltd, allegedly absconded after collecting the mobilization fee. But following the mandate to the acting Chairman of EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, ordering his commission to investigate abandoned projects, the Rijau Community Youth Forum petitioned the EFCC to investigate this particular road project, a major artery that passes through many rural communities.

We commend the youths of the community for their civic responsibility. It is noteworthy that instead of protesting and rioting as some do in similar cases, the youths followed the due process of law, to obtain justice. Their action is also a lesson to other communities to own projects sited in their domain, monitor their execution, and where there is poor performance or abandonment take appropriate legal steps to seek redress, and even have a healthy interest in post-construction maintenance, instead of passively writhing hands in frustration.