By Harris Emanuel
Uyo—À group, Ukanafun Professionals’ Association has asked the Akwa Ibom State Government to provide more details on the contract it claimed had been re-awarded for construction of cottage hospital in Ukanafun local government area.
Recall that the contract for construction of cottage hospital in Ukanafun earlier awarded about 14 years ago by Senator Godswill Akpabio’s administration was announced by the state government on June 27 this year, through the commissioner for Information and Strategy, Ini Ememobong, to have been re-awarded to an undisclosed firm.
In a statement released by the group’s Public Relations Officer, Omasco Ekeke, it asserted that “with regards to fundamental issues, it is glaring that the statement by the Akwa Ibom State government’s spokesman was opaque, as its content was bereft of a number of basics.”
Making reference to controversy that has been trailing execution of the contract, which led to institution of a law suit against the state government by a contractor that handled the project, the statement raised a question as to “what is the state of the matter in court?”
The group further asked: “Has there been judicial decision or out-of-court settlement to ensure that further works would not be stalled by legal injunction? Which company is the contract re-awarded to, and at what amount of money?
Referring to 130 days duration within which the government’s announcement stated “the contractor (is) charged to execute the project”, the statement asked: “Would the re-awarded contract, which work is yet to commence (after 100 days as on Wednesday), still be done and completed within the stipulated period?”
It would also be recalled that, decrying lack of the state government presence in the area, Ray Ekpu, a topnotch Nigerian journalist and indigene of the community, had on June during celebration of 45th anniversary of the creation of Ukanafun local government area, launched call to the state government to, among other developmental issues, revisit construction of the hospital.
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