ICPC orders contractor to fix shoddy job at Akure civic centre

The Independent Corrupt Practices And Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has ordered the contractor handling the N35 million ‘Reconstruction and Completion of Civic Centre’ at Akure North/South Federal Constituency to return to site.

David Oluwole, the head of ICPC’s Constituency and Executive Project Tracking Division gave the directive on Wednesday during an on-site tracking of the third phase of Constituency and Executive Project Tracking in Ondo.

Mr Oluwole, who led ICPC officials and others to the project site in Akure South local government, said the contractor needed to effect correction on various structural defects, hence the directive.

According to him, the project awarded in 2019 has been abandoned, demanding the contractor, Jubac Investment Co. Ltd, to return to site to “properly” execute the project.

 Similarly, an expert on the team, said the project was poorly executed mainly on the columns and the facial parapet walls, while there were many perforations.

According to him, the perforations show that the concrete is not properly mixed, and not well-packed, while the exposed reinforcement bars shows under-reinforcement.

“The expected reinforcement bar is not used. The results are seen with the bent columns and uneven sizes which are not aligned. The site is clearly, already abandoned as there is no evidence of work for months. This job is believed to be supervised by unqualified engineers,” said the expert. “My recommendation is for the project to be taken from these particular contractors, or the contractor needs to return to site, demolish the upper part of the building and reconstruct with quality materials.”

Other project tracked included provision of plastic furniture to Anglican Grammar School, Ero Town, in Ifedore local government, awarded in 2019 for N2.4 million.

Another project tracked was the training of 27 selected secondary students in Yoruba culture, awarded in July 2020 for 23 million, also in Ero, Ifedore local government area.
 The ICPC team, however, was unable to track the bridge construction at Owobambo in Odigbo local government area, awarded for N31.6 million, due to inaccessible roads.

Credit: PG