Managing Director of the National Hydro-electric Power Producing Areas Development Commission N-HYPPADEC, Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq Yelwa, has called for the speedy completion of work at the ongoing River Gurara embarkment construction project for the safety of homes and farmlands of Muye and other communities in Lapai local government area, Niger State.
The Managing Director who was represented by HYPPADEC Director of Finance and Administration, Doctor Haruna Jimoh Gabi made the call during an inspection visit to ascertain the level of work and level of compliance of the project at Muye, in Lapai Local Government Area.
Sadiq Yelwa however expressed satisfaction with the level of work done so far but made some observations on the construction to avoid deviations from the standard, stressing that the project had a total contract value of seven hundred million naira and the contractor had been adequately mobilised to avoid unnecessary delays or request for variations.
He noted that the project which has encountered delay due to technical issues was meant to be completed within six months, and called on the contractor and project consultant to work together to ensure its speedy completion.
The Managing Director recalled that members of the community had initially expressed fears about the project, following two previous unsuccessful attempts to construct an embankment in the area, where he re eassured them that N-HYPPADEC had the experience and capacity to deliver the project successfully, noting that the commission had put the necessary measures in place to ensure its timely completion.
The member house of representatives, Agaie/Lapai Federal constituency, Abdullahi Mahmud who appreciated N-HYPPADEC and expressed joy for the intervention, said he believes the challenge of the slow pace of work can be contained, while urging the contractors to speed up for the completion of the project while urging his constituents to be patient and appreciate the efforts being made by the Federal Government and N-HYPPADEC to ensure the completion of the project.
The Amana of Muye, Alhaji Salihu Mohammed however, thanked the management of HYPPADEC for their quick response and called on the Federal Government to assist in funding the river Gurara embarkment project and make it a top priority for the safety and development of the community, stressing that the slow pace of work was a source of concern to the community, noting that the timely completion of the embankment would improve the livelihoods of about thirty communities.
The contractor represented by the site engineer, who admitted to have earlier encountered some technical hitches but had been overcome, assuring the commission and community of his resolve to deliver the project according to standard specifications to the benefit of beneficiaries.
COV ALIYU LAWAL.
