The Federal Government has officially appointed a new contractor, Messrs Jalingo Limited, to complete the outstanding work at the Internally Displaced Persons’ hostel in Abia State.

The government handed over the site, located at Mgbarakuma Ubakala, Umuahia South Local Government Area, through the Presidential Committee on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation (PCFRR), on Friday.

The brief ceremony was witnessed by officials of Abia State Emergency Management Agency.

In a speech at the event, the Chief Administrative Officer of PCFRR, Chibundu Emelogu, said that the committee was created by the then President Goodluck Jonathan, following the 2012 flood disaster.

Mr Emelogu said that the contract was awarded in 2014 to C.S Vic Nigeria Limited, noting that one of the hostels could not be completed due to some challenges.

According to him, the committee being desirous to complete its work across the country, decided to replace the contactor that abandoned the project.

Mr Emelogu noted that the new contractor, in line with the terms of conference, would complete the work in three months.

He assured the company of prompt payment, adding that it had committed not less than 50 per cent of the contract sum to ensure that the hostel was completed in due course.

Responding, the representative of the contractor, Amobi Ebokan, promised to complete the project within the three-month timeline “provided the necessary funds are available.’’

He said, “We are promising that we will carry out standard job and in the next three months something better will be here.’’

In his remarks, the Executive Secretary of SEMA, Dr Sunday Jackson, conveyed the state government’s gratitude to the committee, describing the handover as a crucial event that would impact people’s lives positively.

Mr Jackson said that flooding had been a persistent occurrence in the country due to climate change, stating that that Abia State had witnessed its own fair share.

He also commended the Federal Government for establishing the resettlement centre, where people displaced by flood could be relocated, pending the return of normalcy and reintegration back to their communities.

He assured the committee that the state government would make maximum use of the project upon its completion.

He added, “We have an action governor, Dr Alex Otti, who always wants to be involved, and he has given SEMA the necessary support to ensure that it is strengthened. And if SEMA is to be strengthened, this place must be functional.’’

(NAN)