From: JUDEX OKORO, Calabar
Worried by the spate of abandoned projects across the country, the Federal Government has given the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) a 14-day ultimatum to compile names of contracts defaulters.
The list, it directed, should be forwarded to the office of the Special Assistant to the President on prosecution.
Before now the SA has sent similar letter to the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC which led to some contractors to returning to site at the inception of this administration.
In a letter addressed to the Acting Managing Director of FERMA by the presidential assistant, Barr. Okoi Obono-obla, and made available to newsmen in Calabar, the government said it was high time all contractors that defaulted were prosecuted.
Obla said the process will afford the government opportunity to pay contractors who have executed their projects but yet to be fully paid.
According to him, “government is fully committed to the promise of paying indigenous contractors who were owed after the completion of their contracts.
He said: “The latest letter is a re affirmation of the commitment of the government to rid the public service of corruption.
“We have written to FERMA to forward list of contractors who have failed to executive respective contracts/jobs over the years. They are to comply with the directive, 14-days upon receipt of the letter”.
“This is part of the frantic efforts of the federal government to settle indigenous contractors who have duly executed their respective contracts accumulated over the years.
“However, contractors who have received payment and are in default of executing the contracts would be brought to book,” Obla said.