Property owners along the Eleme axis of the East-West Road have called on President Bola Tinubu to revoke the contract for the reconstruction of the road given to Reynolds Construction Company Limited, RCC.
In a press release, the Chairman and Secretary of an association of the property owners in the area, Joseph Obele and Peter Haraca, said the contractors have been slow, incompetent and their poor work culture has led to avoidable accidents, traffic congestion and delays in evacuation of petroleum products from the refinery and the seaport at Onne.
“Despite receiving N33 billion from the Federal Ministry of Works, RCC has failed to compensate property owners along the axis and has instead demolished properties and obstructed businesses, affecting over 20,000 businesses,” the property owners said
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, and Senator Barry Mpigi had expressed concerns about RCC’s performance. And Obele said given the impending rain season, which may further hinder RCC’s work, it’s essential to reevaluate the contract and consider awarding it to a more reputable construction company.
He said the property owners were therefore urging President Bola Tinubu to revoke the contract and re-award it to ensure the timely completion of the project.
Also responding to the state of the road, the Petroleum Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) expressed concern over the slow pace of work by RCC on the Eleme East-West Road.
The National President of PETROAN, Dr. Billy Gillis Harry, said RCC’s slow pace of work is sabotaging efforts to ensure smooth distribution of petroleum products from the newly commissioned Port Harcourt refinery.
PETROAN, in a statement, said that about 60 filling stations were negatively impacted by the road construction and demanded that adequate compensation be paid to their owners.
“Thousands of petroleum trucks will be using the road to convey products from the newly inaugurated Port Harcourt refinery; hence, further delay is detrimental. The Eleme East-West Road is a critical route for the transportation of petroleum products, and its safety is paramount. The road’s deplorable condition poses a significant risk to trucks carrying petroleum products, which could lead to catastrophic accidents and environmental disasters.
“PETROAN is calling on President Tinubu to evaluate the ongoing contract by RCC in line with the contract timeline. This move would consolidate his renewed hope agenda by ensuring the timely completion of the Eleme East-West Road project.
“Furthermore, PETROAN is calling on the Minister of Works, David Umahi, to fast-track the contract evaluation process and take decisive action to address the slow pace of work by RCC,” the statement said.
