Delta gov, Ologbotsere of Warri bicker over N1.6b abandoned contract

The disagreement between the Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, and the Ologbotsere of Warri, Chief Ayiri Emami, has taken a new dimension as the state government has instituted a legal action against EasyQuest Nigeria Limited over the construction of Shoreline Protection Measures (Phase 1) at Aruoton community awarded to the firm at a total sum of N1,694,211,750.00, but which was reportedly abandoned after the company allegedly collected the sum of N800million mobilisation fee.
The company has allegedly been linked to Emami, who is also a billionaire business mogul.
The project, it was learnt, was awarded to the company owned by Emami during the administration of the immediate past governor of the state, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, but for unknown reasons, the company abandoned the project after picking N800million mobilisation fee from the state government.
A reliable source revealed that, miffed by the development, the Governor Ifeanyi Okowa-led administration, which inherited the project from his predecessor, had on April 4, 2016, through the office of the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, demanded a full refund of the N800million from EasyQuest Nigeria Limited.
But following the company’s non- compliance with the state government’s demand, a legal action was thereafter instituted against the company by Governor Okowa, who said he was determined to rid the state of unscrupulous and failed contractors.
An electronic document sent to our correspondent in Warri, read, “On February 11, 2013, the Delta State Government (STB/10/T/60) awarded the contract for the construction of Shoreline Protection Measures (Phase 1) at Aruoton community to Emami’s company, EasyQuest Nigeria Limited at a total sum of N1,694,211,750.00 (one billion, six hundred and ninety-four million, two hundred and eleven thousand, seven hundred and fifty naira).
“The company was mobilised with the sum of N800million (eight hundred million naira) as per the terms of the contract. But despite repeated appeals, Chief Emami’s company has not done a single work at the site, five years after the contract was awarded.
“It is important that Deltans know that on April 04, 2016, the administration of Governor Okowa, through the office of the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, demanded a full refund of the N800million from EasyQuest Nigeria Limited. Following their non- compliance with the demand, legal action has already commenced against the company as Governor Okowa is determined to rid the state of unscrupulous and failed contractors”.
Also, the Manager, Communication to the Delta state Governor, Mr. Jackson Ekwugum, said, “We would like Chief Emami to explain to the Itsekiri people what happened to the N800million advance payment he received from the previous administration for a contract to tackle the coastal erosion ravaging the entire shorelines of Aruoton, an Itsekiri community in Warri-South West Local Government Area.”
Ekwugum accused Emami of attempts to discredit the administration of Governor Okowa in a recent media interview, stressing that the “senseless talk” disguised as an interview, was riddled with falsehood, innuendoes and unsubstantiated allegations.
According to him, “Instead of doing his utmost best to insulate the revered Itsekiri traditional institution from politics, we are greatly disturbed that the Ologbotsere (Prime Minister) of Warri Kingdom is doing exactly the opposite and, in the process, threatening to undermine the trademark civility and profundity of the Kingdom.”
He stated that it was high tim e all well-meaning Itsekiri sons and daughters called Emami to order before he would bringed the respected Itsekiri traditional institution into disrepute.
“For someone who professes to have the best interests of the Itsekiri people at heart, it is most unconscionable, wicked and the height of insensitivity to the plight of his people for Chief Emami to abandon a project for which he collected a whopping sum of N800million as advance payment. So, where is his professed love for the Itsekiris?,” he said.
The governor’s media aide also lambasted Emami for failing to acknowledge the role played by Okowa in engendering peace in Warri North Local Government Area prior to the just-concluded council elections in the state.
Meanwhile, when contacted, Chief Emami in a telephone conversation, told our correspondent he had nothing to do with the said EasyQuest Nigeria Limited, which was awarded the N1.7billion construction of Shoreline Protection Measures (Phase 1) at Aruoton community.
He, therefore, dismissed the allegation that he abandoned the project at the expense of his people.