Reps order NDDC to finish the abandoned beachfront project in the village of Akwa Ibom

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has been urged by the 10th House of Representatives to ensure the completion of all abandoned projects in the federal constituency, including the abandoned coastal protection project in the Ibeno Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

The resolution was presented to the House during its Tuesday plenary session by the representative of the Eket/ONNA/Esit Eket/Ibeno Federal Constituency, Hon. Okpolupm Etteh.

In his motion, Etteh stated that the contract was given to Smith Engineering Company Limited on September 15, 2006, and that it was worth N3,287,787,000.00. Half of that amount, N1,643,893,500.00, had already been paid to the contractor before it mobilized to the site.

After collecting 50% of the agreed-upon amount, the contractor, who had barely completed 8% of the project, abandoned the Upenekang site after mobilizing only a small amount of materials.

He explained that the Upenekang, Iwuoachang, Okorutip, Odoro-Ikot, Iwuo-Okpom, Mkpanak, and Itak Abasi communities in the Ibeno Local Government Area were included in the contract's coverage of shorelines.

He added that he was "concerned that since many of the villages in the Ibeno Local Government Area lie at the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, to protect against the dangers and constant threat of ocean surge, it is recommended that setbacks like dykes and other control measures should be established around the communities most prone to ocean encroachment, which is what the shore protection project was to achieve."

In its resolution, the House urged the NDDC "to carry out the same assessment in all other abandoned projects across the Federal Constituency and to assess the level of work by Smith Engineering Company Limited from 2006 to date."

Additionally, it pleaded with the Commission to reassign the contract to another qualified contractor and either order the company to come back to the site right away or take all necessary steps to recoup the mobilization paid to the contractor.

The House Committee on NDDC was further instructed to "request a comprehensive list of abandoned projects across the Federal Constituency, ensure thorough investigation as to why most of the projects are abandoned, ensure their completion, and report back within four weeks for further legislative actions."