By Inyali Peter
The Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari, Barrister Okoi Obono-Obla says the Federal Government will prosecute contractors who have defaulted in the execution of contracts despite receiving payment.
Obla disclosed this in Calabar recently when he made available to newsmen, a copy of a letter addressed to the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) directing the agency to within 14 days, compile and forward the names of defaulting contractors to the office of the Special Assistant on Prosecution.
He said the process will afford government the opportunity to pay contractors who have executed their projects but are yet to be paid fully.
He noted that the government is fully committed to the promise of paying indigenous contractors who were owed after the completion of their contracts as the letter is an affirmation to government’s resolve to rid the public sector 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” Obla said.
He continued; “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”.
Upon assumption of office, Obla had sent a similar letter to the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC which according to reports forced some contractors to return to site.
Cross River State is currently bedeviled with near impassable federal highways with no fewer than 6 contracts awarded for rehabilitation in the past 3 years with no physical evidence to show where the monies allocated actually went to as reported by CrossRiverWatch.
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