Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has signed a Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with Julius Berger Nigeria PLC for the construction of the Port Harcourt Ring Road project worth N200billion.
Fubara, who signed the contract papers at the Executive Chambers of Government House in Port Harcourt, said his administration is in a hurry to develop new cities and that the construction of the Port Harcourt Ring Road project will facilitate that objective with enduring quality infrastructure.
He explained that the best time to start a project that has a completion period of 36 months is now, which is precisely why 75 percent of the contract sum of N195.3B has been released to make Julius Berger give the required urgency to the project.
The governor charged traditional rulers and youths to own the project that will traverse their various communities and to do nothing to disrupt its progress so as to avoid being suspended or prosecuted.
He said, “It’s important that everybody should give the necessary support, because we need this project, for development to come. Initially, people will suffer some inconveniences, but at the end it will be beneficial to all”.
The State Attorney-General, Prof Zaccheus Adangor, Commissioner for Works, Dr. George Kelly Alabo and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works, Ebere Emenike, signed on behalf of the government as Managing Director of JB, Dr. Lars Richter, Assistant Regional Manager, Rimon Marisho, signed for the German construction giant.
Fubara explained, “This is something previous governments had conceived. Some had so much money, some save hundreds of billions of naira in banks accounts but couldn’t venture into it. Today, it’s not that we even have the money, but we are bearing it.
“For JB, we are engaging you because you have a history in this state. Landmark developments have not been achieved in this state without you. We have cases of flyovers, wonderful medical centers, you are instrumental to them and people have acknowledged your standards.
“Total value of the contract is N195.3B and we are paying (mobilising) you 77 percent which is over N150B immediately after this event. Once will confirm 55% of the initial fund release, we will commence payment of the balance.
Fubara sought cooperation with the government and contractor, from communities the road project will pass through, daring that, “Any traditional ruler, chiefs, with youths who try to disrupt or sabotage the project will immediately be suspended and prosecuted.
“This project is important to us, so anybody who is going to be a Jonah, we are not going to throw you out of the ship, but we will kill you, because if we merely throw you out of the ship you might still survive.”
The Managing Director of JB, Dr Richter who thanked the Governor on the trust reposed on the company assured of delivering the project on schedule with high quality as exhibited in the previous projects entrusted to them by previous administration.
