From Maurice Okafor,Enugu.
The Ebonyi state governor, Engr.Dave Umahi,who is the current chairman of South East governors forum, has commended the speed of renovation of the tarmac of Akanu Ibiam international airport, thanking President Muhammadu Buhari for the Federal government’s intervention in the airport the construction of the second Niger bridge and the reconstruction of Enugu to Port Harcourt express road.
Governor Umahi gave the commendations while speaking to news men after his brief inspection of progress of renovation work on the tarmac of Akanu Ibiam international airport.
Governor Umahi equally extolled the contractors and consultants,who reiterated their stand that all renovate work will be completed early this year before Easter period’this year 2020.
He stated, “We are impressed with the quality and speed of the work and believe that at the end of the day we shall have a lasting airport”.
Reacting to allegation of downward review of the contract sum of the project, Umahi said he had no such information and said as long as the definition and specification of the work had not changed, stating that contract sums are mere estimate which can be reviewed upwards or downward as the project is being executed.
Earlier, the Project Consultant, Mr Sani Baba, said that the issue of completion of the project was an issue with the contractor.
Baba said that the contractor had opted to deliver the project in June 2020 but the Federal Government rejected it and insisted on delivering the job by the last week of April 2020.
The consultant said that to deliver the project as scheduled, the contractor would have to do certain tasks simultaneously.
Baba said that the idea was to make the airport one of the best in the country.
Lending his voice, the Electrical Consultant, Mr Mohammed Sadiq, said that it was not correct that the cost of the project had been reviewed downward.
Baba said that the project was still valued at N10billion.
He, however, said that the project was broken down into civil work and electrical call.
Baba said that while the pavement and civil work would be done at N8.5billion, the electrical work would cost N1.5billion.
It would be recalled that the airport was closed in August 2019 following safety concerns by officials of Ministry of Aviation.
