Deputy Majority Whip and Chairman, Delta State House of Assembly Committee on Youth and Sports Development, Hon Fred Martins, has decried the delay in completion of Koko Mini Township Stadium by the contractor handling the project for the state government.
Hon Martins at a meeting with officials of the Delta State Sports Commission at the Assembly complex in Asaba, called on the Commission to plan towards completing the Stadium project within the life span of the Okowa’s administration.
The Deputy Majority Whip said the meeting was sequel to a letter written by the Koko Community Management to the State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa and copied the House of Assembly Committee on Youth and Sports Development.
The Lawmaker who represents Warri North Constituency in the House, explained that despite budgetary provisions for the Koko Mini Stadium, the contractor has refused to return to site and get the project completed.
He disclosed that the community had appealed for the completion of the stadium project, awarded thirteen years ago as well as other road projects undertaken by the state government.
Hon Martins stated that the governor being a pro-active administrator is seeking for answers and rational behind the delay in completing the stadium, stressing that the development was becoming embarrassing to every stakeholders.
He then charged the Sports Commission to within seven days furnish the Committee, measures being adopted to ensuring that the contractor mobilize back to site and get the stadium completed.
The Committee Chairman pointed out the need for the commission to take a step further if the contractor failed to reason with it on the importance of getting the stadium project completed.
In his contribution, a member of the Committee and Minority Leader of the House, Hon Innocent Anidi expressed concern over the non completion of the mini stadium, thirteen years after award.
He stressed the need to get the contractor back to site to get the job awarded to it executed.
Fielding questions from the Committee, Director Planning, Research and Statistics, Mr Dickson Mordi who stood in for the Chairman, Delta State Sports Commission, Chief Tonobok Okowa said the contract for the construction of the Koko mini sports Arena was awarded on the 22nd of December 2009, at the contract sum of seven hundred and seventy five million, eight hundred and forty five thousand, six hundred sixty eight naira, forty three Kobo.
Mr Mordi stated that the contractor had mobilized to site, commenced work on the mini stadium project and certificate raised by the Consultant to the Ministry of Housing for work done.
He disclosed that monies have continually been paid to the contractor upon request to enable it go back to site, pointing out that a total sum of five hundred and sixty million, nine hundred and forty thousand, four hundred and twenty seven naira, ninety two kobo have so far been paid the contractor.
The Director explained that all efforts to encourage the contractor to return to site and get the job completed never yielded any result, stressing that up till now the firm have refused to resume work.
The meeting was attended by the Special Assistant to the State Governor on Sports, Stephen Cole and Special Assistant to the Governor on Youth Development, Mr Friday Asamah who represented the Koko community.