ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- Engineer Bassey Mkposong, the Managing Director of Cross River Basin Development Authority, (CRBDA), has blamed the incessant vandalization of projects on the failure of some communities to own developmental projects sited in their areas.
Engineer Mkposong told Vanguard that since after the rehabilitation of the agency two years after EndSARS, projects, particularly boreholes sited in communities to provide portable water to the people, are vandalized soon after installation by same communities which the projects are meant.
He expressed worry, saying that it was counter productive to federal government’s effort to improve welfare of the people.
According to him: “The federal government through our requests following appeals from some communities approves projects to be sited in communities across Cross River and Akwa Ibom States which the Cross River Basin Development Authority covers but no sooner are some projects completed that vital components are removed and in some instances, the contractor is still on site working on some areas that some components are vandalised and this leaves the contractor confused”
Okposong said the communities where projects are sited ought to take ownership of the projects and protect them from destruction and vandalization because when such projects are vandalized, it is difficult to raise funds to replace such stolen components.
“Every project has an envelope tied to it and sometimes only fifty percent of the sum is released owing to paucity of funds so getting funds to replace vandalised projects is a herculan task.
“Basin Authorities are not contractors and when any amount is released payment only comes when the job is certified fit for payment otherwise no payment can be done.”
The Engineer stated also that the EndSARs affected the Authority but that has not stopped the work from going on in the place.
“We would have loved our documents to be stored digitally but that is subject to approval. Suffice to say that the impact of the EndSARs is not felt but it has not stopped working from going on here.
“This is an agency of the federal government and budgetary allocation is domiciled with the Central Bank and no payment to any contractor for any job done can be made without pepper valuation of the job and the standing of the said contractor in terms of his documents and other necessary requirements.”
He said organic food production is a vital part for accelerated food production in the country and the Cross River Basin Authority is embarking on the training of youths to equip them with the necessary skills for both crop and animal farming.
The MD urged journalists to Cross check facts by journalists before going to press to avoid causing spread of wrong information which maybe counter productive to the work of the agency.