(http://fmi.gov.ng/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/coat-of-arms2.gif) The Ecological Fund Office EFO, Tuesday 4th June 2013, hosted a stakeholders meeting on the newly approved drought and desertification control projects in 12 northern arid States of the country; comprising Adamawa, Gombe, kano, Jigawa, Katsina, Kebbi, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kaduna, Bauchi, Yobe and Borno States.
The N40 million project per State, which has the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development as the executing agency, was originally approved in 2006 to ameliorate drought and desertification in the eleven front line States and expected to be completed within ninety days; but could not get off the ground until this year, when it was revisited and re-scoped.
While speaking at the forum, the Permanent Secretary of EFO, Engr. Goni M. Sheikh reminded contractors and consultants duly approved for the project, that ecological problems by their nature, are dynamic and seasonal; with the propensity to get worse if delayed or ignored. He said the best way to solve such problems is to promptly address them; else they fester and get worse. He therefore, enjoined them to work assiduously to ensure their early completion.
The Permanent Secretary therefore, urged contractors and consultants to work together as a team to get good results, saying, poor job and unnecessary delay will not be condoned. He also reiterated the decision of EFO to blacklist inefficient and incompetent contractors and to always give preference to those who perform creditably.
Engr. Sheikh assured the participants, that everything will be done to ensure quick payment for job done; saying in this regard, a once and for all site-meeting with all stakeholders in attendance, will henceforth, be held where the level of job done would be ascertained and the relevant Interim Payment Certificate (IPC) raised in order to save time and ensure timely payment for verified jobs.
The Director of Drought and Desertification Control Department D (DDC) in EFO, Mr. Kole Oluwatuyi, while explaining the reason behind the meeting, explained that sequel to the conclusion of due process in resuscitating the project and the signing of the contract and consultancy agreements, it was deemed necessary that all stakeholders should meet to agree on ways to move the project forward, look at the challenges and proffer practical solutions in order to fast track the implementation of the projects.
The representative of the Executing Agency at the meeting, Engr. Bola Sanusi assured the Permanent Secretary that all the sites in the respective States except Borno State have been acquired and secured awaiting hand over to the contractors.
At the end of the interactive session, it was agreed that all steps would be taken to complete the job within the six months period; that contractors and consultants will work together in harmony, and that payment for the total job for every contractor will be effected in two or three stages based on percentage of work done.
Via: Federal Ministry of Information (FMI) Nigeria