Delta State: Julius Berger to construct roads in Warri? Kudo Gov Sheriff

By Eghwere Ogheneruonah

Many received the news of the coming of the construction giant, Julius Berger, to the ancient of Warri to undertake some infrastructural construction works for the Delta State Government with a big relief. The expression of joy reflected in the initial reaction of the people to this announcement, can unarguably, be interpreted to mean two things. Beside passing for a natural expression of joy in the face of the obvious paucity of infrastructure in the state, Warri and environs, the first reason is the innate yearnings of the people for quality infrastructure and engineering facilities in our dear state, while the second can be attributed to the manifest ‘non-satisfaction’ of the people with infrastructural construction works done by indigenous contractors across the state.

It is worthy of note that since the election and the inauguration of this current government in the state, the people as expected, have been busy discussing the political future of Delta State with an irrefutable mutual resolve; irrespective of ethnic and party affiliations, that Delta State deserves the best. This reinforces the inherent desire of the people to see Delta effectively and efficiently piloted to oil our ‘manifest desires’ to see Delta developed and redeemed from near infrastructural stagnation. The people yearn to see oil wealth in Delta State find expression in the development of the state, and not what appears to be the status quo where “political demi-gods’ with the sole goal of primitively enriching selves as local contractors and their cronies, are successively created since 1999 to the detriment of the suffering masses and development of the state.

The discourse must continue and be robust enough to generate and birth viable ideas that can develop our state to make us the envy of others, not just in the South-South region, but beyond. We must be bold enough to resist mundane advocacy that seeks to promote ‘local content without capacity’ and reject suitable and capable foreign contractors with all it takes to deliver. Doing that would amount to sacrificing the hope of legacy projects that foreign contractors would be able to bring to bear in our state. This means, we must demonstrate love for our state and her development before and beyond narrowly conceived economic and political considerations and advocacy. Our desire for more, should therefore; spur us to support quality and not the status quo, where infrastructural jobs for local contractors continue to end up as ‘job for the boys’, thus denying our state the formidable legacy infrastructure projects. The task of making Delta State work more effective for the benefit of all should, therefore, be our collective priority.

The facts speak for themselves. Local contractors have demonstrated irrefutable and near irredeemable incapacity to provide quality infrastructural projects, capable of standing the test of time in Delta State. Their apparent shoddy jobs dot the state. From precariously standing pedestrian bridge in Oghara to Mariam Ibrahim Babangida Road in Asaba repeatedly constructed and re-constructed by local contractors before its present usable state after gulping huge state resources for the re-awards, leaves keen observers with the inevitable conclusion that our state has had avoidable waste of resources in the name of public infrastructure. What this suggests is the simple fact that local contractors usually without the capacity to deliver on construction tasks and standard expectations, have no business getting contract awards to construct roads and public infrastructure that would be washed off soon after construction to waste state resources.

Time and space would fail curious minds if attention is beamed on now moribund local stadia across the 25 local government Areas, which are now painfully in near collapse status due to the shoddy jobs done by the local contractors. The same thing is the fate of many re-painted public primary and secondary schools across the state that gave way before they were actually put to use due to poor quality of work by local efforts supervised by incapable local contractors.

Time and space may not allow us to talk about the Effurun and Okpanam roundabout flyovers which many see as ‘beautiful infrastructural nonsense’ arguably created by local contractors using ‘bricklayers and artisans’ to the collective shame of our dear state. What about many acclaimed road projects in Burutu, Oghara, Sapele, Isiokolo and Osubi that are no longer passable today? We have had so much waste of state resources all in the name of patronising local contractors that have effortlessly proven their inability to deliver on standards. Delta deserves the best because we are wired for more; especially legacy projects that can leap-frog the development process of our state

Down memory lane, attempts at creating an infrastructural masterpiece in our dear state, have no history of local contractors. As businessmen and politicians with economic interest to serve, local contractors are unarguably ‘political leaders and Hallelujah boys’ that are usually compensated with infrastructural construction works that they are not prepared to do. They, in most cases, allegedly simply walk away with the contract sums, or do poor jobs that fail almost immediately. A few quality works that can pass for legacy projects include the Delta State Teaching Hospital in Oghara, constructed by the RCC, as well as the Prof Chike Edozien Secretariat Complex in Asaba. Both are projects to behold today and they are capable of helping the state developmental drive. They were not locally handled and the difference is clear. The State can, and should do better by conceiving legacy projects all over for our dear state with suitable construction firms; preferably foreign ones, to deliver standards.

The current Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and current minister of the FCT, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, made their marks as governors in Akwa Ibom and Rivers States, respectively, by engaging quality construction companies with credible and proven capacity to deliver bespoke projects in their respective states. The same thing is the story of former Ebonyi State Governor, now Minister of Works, David Umahi, who did infrastructural wonders with Julius Berger constructing good roads and not shoddy jobs by local job men. This (engaging foreign contractors to deliver legacy projects) can also be the story in Delta State where unarguably; the culture of poor infrastructural projects by local contractors, continues to thrive.

Delta State is rich and deserves the best. Legacy projects are needed to build and develop our state. I strongly encourage the state government to consolidate the engagement of credible contractors; preferably foreign ones to execute bespoke and legacy infrastructure projects, instead of local contractors without the capacity to deliver. Nobody hates local contractors for the records. The love of our dear state must prompt and propel all of us to speak truth to power always. How well the local contractors have served our dear state, remains a sour taste in our collective mouth. The ‘dragging Ughelli-Isoko-Asaba- highway’ due to failure of local and often compromised contractors, needs no magic wand to end the nightmare, but a simple resolve to engage a capable hand like Julius Berger, with all it takes to complete the project with requisite standard that would last.

Now that Delta State has a governor that has shown intention to simplify governance, appear transparent in the management of our commonwealth, and willing to altruistically pursue goals that would protect the collective development interest of all, we must rally round him with both support and criticism, where necessary to make him succeed. It is in this sense that this piece appreciates the noble intentions of the governor Oborevwori led government for intentionally engaging Julius Berger to construct legacy projects in Warri and its environs. This should be replicated across the state with engagement of reputable foreign construction giants to conceptualize, initiate and complete a ‘pan-Delta coastal/inland rail way line’ to connect major cities and coastal villages for ease of movement across the state. This may sound capital intensive, but it will benefit the state in no distant time. This ‘incoming spinning projects’ if contemplated and executed by suitable and capable foreign firms, would make the state the envy of many and give her the enviable edge over others in development and infrastructural discourse.

For emphasis, the engagement of Julius Berger in Warri and its environs to execute construction works for the state by the current government led by Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, is a welcome development worth celebrating. While it may be premature to celebrate this milestone in the annals of our state until the projects are completed and delivered to the public, it is not out of place to appreciate good news and celebrate noble intentions capable of birthing legacy projects in Delta State. I, therefore, encourage the governor to continue on this path of honour by ‘adamantly insisting on the use of quality contractors,preferably the foreign ones, to execute road and infrastructural projects across the state. Posterity will be fair to you in judgement if you can do this for Delta State sir. Local contractors can and should be compensated ‘if necessary,’ through other means, and not road construction since their works fail shortly after.

Eghwere Ogheneruonah C., Ph.D. (Exeter) writes from North Carolina

He teaches Political Science at the University of Benin, Nigeria. He is also the Executive Director, Renaissance Group, Africa Regional Office.