Human Rights Group, CHSR, Urges Sanwo-Olu To Intervene In Award Of Dredging Contracts

 

The Centre for Human and Socio-economic Rights (CHSR) has called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State to intervene in the award of dredging contracts in the state.

 

The group stated that there are concern that some of the ongoing dredging projects were awarded to people, who have achieved very little or no progress inspite of payments received for the contracts awarded. 

 

These were stated by the President of the CHSR, Comrade Alex Omotehinse, while addressing a press conference on in the group's office in Ijaiye, Lagos on Thursday.

 

Comrade Omotehinse stated that more disturbing is that some contractors handling ongoing dredging projects lack the requisite expertise and are without equipment to deliver quality jobs.

 

"We call on Governor Sanwo-Olu to investigate the Ministry of Waterfront Infrastructure to allay public concerns and suspicions regarding arbitrary awards of dredging contract and ensure remedy to the poor implementation ongoing works.

 

"We call on Governor Sanwo-Olu to ensure thorough diligence in the selection of contractors.

 

"We call for the immediate intervention of Governor Sanwo-Olu towards ensuring that resources are no longer diverted, but to also ensure that only contractors with requisite competence as well as required expertise and equipment are awarded the dredging of waterways to facilitate rapid transformation of water infrastructure in Lagos State.

 

He added that civil society stakeholders under the platform of (CHSR) and partners across civil society platforms in Lagos State consider it pertinent to call on Governor Sanwo Olu to undertake appraisals of the Ministry of Waterfront Infrastructure Development under Hon. Yacoob Ekundayo Alebiosu regarding poor execution of dredging and water transportation projects across Lagos State.

 

This call, he said, has become necessary because the hope of waterways transportation for improved accessibility and movements across the state may not materialise soonest in spite of promises by the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to deliver on his promise.

 

"It would be recalled that during the electioneering campaign that ushered in Mr. Governor for second term in office, promises were made to provide water transportation facilities to enhance accessibility to other parts of the state. 

 

"However, recent happenings with regards to the implementation of projects raised doubts regarding the commitment of the Lagos State Government to fulfill it promises.

 

"Unfortunately, there were several misrepresentations during the Ministerial Press Briefing by the Ministry of Waterfront Infrastructure Development where the scorecard of the ministry was provided in commemoration of the first year’s anniversary of Governor Sanwo-Olu's second term in office," he said.

 

The activist stated that it is regrettable that Hon. Yacoob Ekundayo Alebiosu did not provide accurate and substantial information on the prevailing situation with regards to ongoing dredging of waterways across the state.

 

He added that without doubt, water transportation infrastructure is a potential catalyst for transforming economic activities across communities and the neighbourhoods in Lagos State.

 

He said: "Nevertheless, we have reasons to doubt the progress of works on ongoing project contrary to the commissioner’s claim that the Jetty at Amuwo Odofin is currently at 52 percent completion while both the Ijede Shoreline / protection Jetty and Mowo Ojoo Jetty stand at 48 percent Completion. 

 

"We expect the commissioner to shed more light on the progress of reclamation projects across the state under his watch.

 

"There are concerns about shoddy works being carried out by the contractors, who from all indications, are either not well-equipped or competent enough to deliver. 

 

"We are deeply concerned that these projects may end up being abandoned or lead to wastage of public resources unless Governor Sanwo-Olu undertake immediate assessment of the progress of works and ensure proper implementation.

 

"It would be recalled that a CSO Group, under the aegis of Joint Youth Progressive Alliance (JYPA) had raised concerns regarding the channelisation projects being sloppily implemented. 

 

"Hence, the renewed call on Governor Sanwo-Olu to investigate and correct prevailing anomalies. 

 

"In the same vein, another CSO Group, Alliance for Accountability, Good Governance and Development (AAGGD) faulted the lackadaisical approach to the implementation of projects for the dredging by companies handling some of the projects for which huge sums of public resources have been released."

 

He explained that ongoing projects eliciting concerns include the channelisation at Mende in the Maryland axis of Lagos metropolis for which he said substantial payments from contract sums are believed to have been made.

 

He added that there are concerns by stakeholders, including boat operators, to the effect that the equipment deployed for dredging are low-graded and unfit to deliver on the specified job as expected. 

 

"Therefore there is the need for Governor Sanwo-Olu to allay the fears of the public by conducting assessment of the state of projects awarded by Ministry of Waterfront Infrastructure Development without further delay.

 

"We are aware that residents in other areas to be linked with water transportation are worried about the neglect despite the promises made by Governor Sanwo Olu to ease their movements and to facilitate socio-economic activities by prioritizing water transportation. 

 

"Some of concerned residents are also alleging that while the dredging waterways by was not prioritised where they are mostly needed. 

 

"Residents are displeased that the dredging of the waterways in critical areas where the project would offer huge relief to teeming population has been neglected," he said.