The contractors handling the Construction, Reconstruction and Rehabilitation of Government Schools in Imo State through the Imo State Universal Basic Education Board IMSUBEB have raised alarm over the ugly situation facing them.
Information reaching us has it that the contractors are appealing to the Governor of Imo State Senator Hope Uzodinma to come to their rescue.
We also learnt that the contractors who have been executing the building of the schools in the state, had the jobs awarded to them by the former administration in the State, led by Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha.
We were also informed that these contractors were instructed to execute the projects and get paid on completion, with evidences of completion and relevant papers.
These contractors, we were went ahead with the jobs, targeting the month of April given to them by the last administration for completion.
However, the situation changed with Ihedioha’s removal from office by the Supreme Court that declared Senator Hope Uzodinma as the legitimate governor of the state. Uzodinma has since sacked the former IMSUBEB Board appointed by Ihedioha.
The contractors have now ran into troubled waters as there is alleged plan to review the contracts, which most of them have already arrived at 80% completion, even as the contractors are yet to get even a kobo for the work already done.
Faced with the situation, the contractors have appealed to Gov Hope Uzodinma to release funds for them for the job already done, and for completion of the projects.
It was also learnt that some members of Imo House of Assembly are calling for the review and re-awarding of these projects that are already completed.
We also learnt that some of the Lawmakers were awarded these projects but rather “Subleted” the jobs to these same contractors who are at the verge of completing the projects, and yet the lawmakers are calling for review.
IMSUBEB projects are jointly owned by States and the Federal Government, as the States pay counterpart funding while the Federal Government bears the majority expenditure.
The contractors have sent a Save Our Soul SOS message to Governor Uzodinma to look into the matter as a Statesman and a Leader with a passionate heart and pay them to complete the jobs.
However, it is yet to been known what will be the fate of the contractors as the Governor is yet to step into the matter, even as the lawmakers are bent in convincing those in Authority to review the contracts so that they could be “compensated”.
