Enugu State Government has frowned at the way contractors , people engaged in road construction, installations of fibre optic cables and other similar projects damaged public utilities, especially water pipes, giving them 24 hours to replace all damaged facilities or risk being blacklisted.
Pix: Gov’s representative, Prof Onyia addressing the stakeholders
The state Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah issued the directive ,Monday,in Government House,Enugu, during his meeting with the contractors, service providers digging and trenching in the state, and representatives of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) which have some of their facilities buried under the ground.
The Governor, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government,Prof Chidiebere Onyia, also threatened to commence the process of blacklisting and prosecuting of erring companies and individuals involved in such acts.
He said all the parties carrying out trenching in the state have a duty of ensuring that existing facilities are protected and replaced where damages occured.
He lamented that water supply lines, gas lines, electricity installations, sewage lines, fibre optic cables, internet, mobile phone masts and telephones wires, roads, drainages, kerbs, pedestrian paths, dedicated lanes, emergency lanes, trees and flowers, green areas, buildings, and other accessories or other utilities , critical infrastructure were destroyed by contractors, companies and their workers.
The state Government therefore directed that, ,”Contractor shall repair any damage to critical infrastructure within 24 hours the damages occured and shall guarantee that the contractor shall restore the damaged utility and critical infrastructure to the original state of the infrastructure as if damage did not occur.
“Contractor hereby indemnifies the state for any damage done or reasonably deemed to have been done to any utility and critical infrastructure during the work or a post-work impact of the work by the contractor.
“The contractor commits to pay daily penalty for any period in which the damage remains unrepaired after 24 hours of the damage. Where the state fixes the damage, the contractor shall pay any costs which the state issues for the repair work “
Prof Onyia explained that they put 24hours for the repairs because water is billed daily. “For every water pipe blown, a cost is attached, the contractor will pay daily penalty.”
He said when people are doing work, they will have the map of the state’s critical infrastructure presented to them ,so that they will know where the infrastructure are
“This administration is friendly and open to private sector but what we are not friendly is people who do. not adhere to rules of engagement. You don’t destroy our things and move away and left us to repair them. The answer is supervise your people”, Onyia said .
Author: Maureen Ikpeama