The Special Adviser to the Governor of Anambra State on Community Affairs, Architect Innocent Ezeobi has said that the State Government cannot release money for community projects that have structural and technical issues.
Speaking to Anaedoonline, the Governor’s aide said that during his inspection of Nnewi Community Town Hall Project funded by the state government through the “Community Chose Your Project Initiative”, it was observed that some parts of the building had cracks, while other parts were collapsing. This development implies that the contractor did not take the safety of the end users into consideration.
According to him, until his agency receives the technical report of the building, the State Government cannot release money for the continuation of the building project.
Speaking, he said, “The issue with Nnewi is strictly technical, as the Special Adviser to the Governor on Community Projects, it is my duty to make sure that every project must be properly executed”
“In the course of my inspection, I went with the consultant of the project to the site and I observed that the building has cracks and some parts were already collapsing”.
“I directed the consultant to stop the project, pending when the contractor submits a nondestructive test, structural integrity, and technical report of the project” from an Independent Structural Engineer.
He added that the report must have the *Seal and COREEN Stamp* of the Engineer.
Speaking further, he explained that if an *Independent Structural Engineer* submits the technical report of the project, we will determine if the building is safe for habitation or not, then the agency will take it from there to the next level.
He said, “Until we get the *Technical Report and the Structural Stability* of the project, the agency cannot facilitate the release of funds for the continuation of the project/building which is seen to be collapsing.
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It is important to recall that on Wednesday, 17th of September, 2019, the Publicity Secretary of Nzuko-Ora Nnewi, Sir Augustine Ikeh accused Hon. Sir Melie Onyejepu for the non-approval of the second tranch of the “Community Chose Your Project” for Nnewi Town.
In a commentary monitored by Anaedoonline on the Nzuko-Ora Nnewi media platform, the Publicity Secretary of Nzuko-Ora Nnewi, Sir Augustine Ikedoji accused the Special Adviser to the Governor on Budget and Implementation, Hon. Sir Melie Onyejepu, for not working towards the approval of the second trench of the project for Nnewi.
According to him, the facilitation and approval of funds for the project is practically on the table of Hon. Sir Melie Onyejepu.
However, in his reaction, Hon. Sir Melie Onyejepu said that his position in Government has nothing to do with the assessment and funding delay if any, in the “Community Choose Your Project” initiative.
He explained that the N20M Community Development Initiative is under the office of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Community Projects headed by Arc. Ezeobi. According to him, the agency is populated by people who are involved in project management like architects, surveyors, consultants, and others. He said that the team is robust enough to ensure that the communities and their needs in relation to the implementation of the N20M Naira projects are carefully taken care of.
According to him, It is the duty of the agency to monitor the projects, provides regular reports to the Executive Council on level of implementation by various communities. He added that the agency equally ensures that valuations are done in the event that a community finishes utilization of its first N20M, and assists them to initiate the second or third stage.
He advised the Nnewi community leadership to work with the New N20M Community Project Initiative Agency who are the project coordinators to ensure that Nnewi community concludes their second phase as soon as possible.
The “Community Chose Your Project” is a community development model initiated by His Excellency, Chief Dr. Willie Obiano, which enables communities to identify projects of their choice, valued at N20M, provide contractor from the community to undertake the project, and under the supervision by their representatives.
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