Abuja , March 13, 2019 (NAN) The Ekiti State Government on Wednesday in Ado-Ekiti, reiterated its commitment to patronise indigenous contractors in the execution of projects in the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Deputy Governor, Chief Bisi Egbeyemi, disclosed this while receiving the executives of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Ado-Ekiti Branch in his office, at Ado Ekiti South West Nigeria.
Egbeyemi expressed confidence in the ability of local contractors to deliver quality works that would stand the test of time in accordance to global practices.
« Competent local contractors will be awarded contracts under the Fayemi-led administration to prove that Nigerians can compete favourably with their counterparts in other parts of the world.
« Many Nigerians who go abroad to study most of the time excel above their foreign contemporaries.
« However, I am disappointed at the way some contractors execute state government projects awarded to them, » he said.
He urged the Society of Engineers to keep watch on projects awarded to their members to execute in the state.
« I am disappointed in the engineers that constructed Ado-Iworoko Road and the bridge that replaced the colonial bridge.
« It was not constructed to standard, thereby, giving room for flooding during the rainy season.
« Even, if the government asked you to construct it that way, you should be able to advise the government and insist on professionalism.
« If you engineers see that type of job anywhere in the state, you should be able to point the attention of government to it.
« We are already working on making water accessible to the people, as we are talking, some Europeans are already working on some of our dams for effective water supply across the state, » Egbeyemi added.
He said work had commenced on some of the dams in the state with a view to ensuring even distribution of water across its nooks and crannies.
The deputy governor charged the Engineers not to hesitate to call the attention of the State Government to any defects noticed in any of its projects.
Earlier, the Chairman, NSE Ado-Ekiti branch, Mr Olumide Ogundipe, explained that the Society was responsible for advancing engineering in terms of practice and research in the state.
Ogundipe urged that key engineering ministries, Bureau of Public Procurement and consultancy services in the state be headed by Engineers for good service delivery in the execution of projects.
He appealed to the government to appoint Senior Engineering Officers in the public service to the post of Permanent Secretary in the state.
