… As Governor Threatens To Dethrone, Prosecute Monarchs, Others Who Sabotage Project
The Rivers State government has signed a contract with construction giant, Julius Berger for the construction of the N195.3Billion Port Harcourt Ring Road project, which will transverse six local government areas in the state.
The state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Professor Zaccheus Adangor, Commissioner for Works, Dr. George Kelly Alabo and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works, Ebere Emenike, signed on behalf of the state government while Managing Director of Julius Berger, Dr. Lars Richter and Assistant Regional Manager, Rimon Marisho, signed for the construction giant.
Speaking during the brief ceremony at Government House, Port Harcourt, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who said holds the project dear as his legacy project, stated that work, which will commence immediately, should be completed within 36 months with the contractor enjoying over N150B mobilisation.
Fubara said: “This is something previous governments had conceived. Some had so much money, some save hundreds of billions of naira in banks accounts but couldn’t venture into it. Today, it’s not that we even have the money, but we are bearing it.
“For JB, we are engaging you because you have a history in this state. Landmark developments have not been achieved in this state without you. We have cases of flyovers, wonderful medical centers, you are instrumental to them and people have acknowledged your standards.
“Total value of the contract is N195.3B and we are paying (mobilising) you 77 percent which is over N150B immediately after this event. Once will confirm 55% of the initial fund release, we will commence payment of the balance.
The governor sought the cooperation with the government and contractor, from communities the road project will pass through.
Fubara said: “Any traditional ruler, chiefs, with youths who try to disrupt or sabotage the project will immediately be suspended and prosecuted.
“This project is important to us, so anybody who is going to be a Jonah, we are not going to throw you out of the ship, but we will kill you, because if we merely throw you out of the ship you might still survive.”
Managing Director of Julius Berger, Dr. Richter, who thanked the governor on the trust reposed on the company assured of delivering the project on schedule with high quality as exhibited in the previous projects entrusted to them by previous administration.
