An indigene of Igarra community in Akoko Edo Local Government Area of Edo State has protested against the substandard nature of an ongoing road/drainage project earmarked to cost N95 million.

According to Tracka, a non-governmental organization tracking government’s expenditures, the road and drainage project was documented in the 2020 and 2021 Federal Government’s Zonal Intervention Project and was commissioned by Peter Akpatason, the Deputy Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, also from the federal constituency. The said road cost N65million while the drainage cost N30million.

Checks on the Corporate Affairs Commission’s website, however, confirmed that Royal Jeff Nigeria Limited, the company contracted to execute the project, is currently inactive, an indication that it had either been evading submission of tax documents or the licence of operation had been temporarily seized.

In a video obtained by FIJ, the Igarra indigene expressed outrage that the road and the drainage would not be able to stand the test of erosion, as he was easily peeling it away with his bare hands. 

“Is this work? Does it make any sense?,” he said. “Work that my hand can remove… if you don’t want to do it, don’t do it. We will know that you didn’t do anything.”

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In reaction to the viral video, Akpatason asked the Rural Development Department to investigate the project as well as furnish him with its ‘Bills of Quantity’.

He said: “I request that the Rural Development Department should urgently investigate the allegations as contained in the viral video and report back within 24hours with details of your findings for necessary actions to address this unpleasant development.

“Also furnish my office with details of the awards as well as Bills of Quantity.”