The contractor executing the Awka-Nibo Road Project, J. Quarison Int Ltd, has dismissed a viral video alleging that work at the site is substandard, contending that it is the machinations of those who failed to win the contract.

The Contractor further argued that areas the producers of the video displayed were areas that were awarded over five years ago, but due to the nonpayment for certificates raised as it were, the execution of the projects couldn’t continue for years.

The video had alleged that the Anambra state government awarded the contract to a contractor that does not know its onions in the area of road construction, hence the failing of certain portions of the road.

According to Engr. Valentine Maduka, Field Engineer for J. Quarison Int. Ltd., who took reporters round the project site, the project was re-awarded after years of abandonment due to non-payment, adding that the area in dispute were portions that were constructed before the renewal of the project.

“This is the Ukwu Orji-Awka-Nibo-Isiagu road with a 600-meter spur to Ugwu Orji and another one from a 5-meter spur that is called the Mega Water spur.”

“There was a little blockage in some areas in the drainage as a result of dislodging to nearby drains, and water began to flow into the road towards the spur going to Emeka Nwoka—Oye Nwuchichi spur.”

“When water runs on the road, it would create some damage, but it is not a regular occurrence, and after it has been filled, it will no longer happen again.”

“We have already used sharp sand to apply more methods to checkmate it, and it has been taken care of,” he explained.

Continuing, Maduka said that: “Beyond that, in terms of water overflowing the drainage in some areas, we have weaknesses, which are being handled.”

Maduka noted that: “It can be attributed to the fact that the project has lasted for a long time and there was an initial contract long ago, and later the contract was reviewed and re-awarded, and so what caused the problem is how to manage the existing old drainage that had been there for over five years now.”

He lamented that: “While the contract was stopped, there have been damages that led to the eroding of some portions of the road, including the drainage, and it has been taken care of as well as other areas.”

The field engineer, however, announced that efforts have been made to remedy the hopeless situation;

“We are creating restraining beams to prevent the issue of eroding the areas, and we also have reinforcements; even those done during the old contract are being taken care of.”

“What the people are talking about is not up to 4 percent, and it happens during construction works, and the job is ongoing, and had it been that we had completed the project, it would have been a different thing altogether.”

We have done nearly fifty kilometres of asphalt, and the stone base is almost completed, as you can see, and by next week we shall complete the asphalting of major parts of the roads.”

At the spurs, earthworks are ongoing, and in a couple of weeks, we must have completed the earthwork and commence asphalt on the spurs.

He, however, added a caveat that “This is dependent on the natural interventions of the weather for us to achieve this in a short while,’ he noted.