The Ebonyi State Government has announced plans to introduce stricter measures against contractors who fail to deliver public projects in line with agreed specifications and timelines, as part of efforts to improve accountability and ensure value for public funds.
The Commissioner for Project Monitoring and Evaluation, Chief Sunday Elechi Inyima, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abakaliki shortly after assuming office following his redeployment from the Ministry of Capital City and Urban Development.
Inyima said the present administration would no longer tolerate abandoned projects, substandard execution or unnecessary delays in the delivery of government contracts.
He revealed that the ministry, in collaboration with the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) and Special Assistant (SA) to the Governor on Project Monitoring, would activate a real-time monitoring system to track the progress of government projects across the state.
According to him, the initiative is designed to ensure that contractors execute projects according to approved specifications and complete them within the stipulated time frame.
To strengthen compliance, the commissioner said he would propose a new contractual safeguard requiring every contractor awarded a government project to deposit a post-dated cheque, backed by a court affidavit, with the Office of the Accountant-General of the State. The cheque, he explained, would be equivalent to the amount released to the contractor.
He also disclosed plans to recommend to the Ebonyi State Executive Council the transmission of a bill to the State House of Assembly seeking the establishment of a special court to handle contract-related disputes and cases involving defaulting contractors.
According to Inyima, the proposed court would accelerate the resolution of contractual disputes, promote transparency in project execution and safeguard government investments by ensuring contractors fulfil their obligations.
He expressed confidence that the proposed reforms would eliminate unnecessary disputes, strengthen accountability and establish clearer terms of engagement between the government and contractors.
The commissioner reaffirmed the commitment of Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru’s administration to delivering quality infrastructure and ensuring that government projects are completed on schedule for the benefit of the people of Ebonyi State.
