The Office of the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives on Thursday disclosed that it has written to the Ecological Fund Office over some technical deficiencies found on the newly-constructed Nkpa bridge in Bende Federal Constituency of Abia State.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy Speaker, Levinus Nwabughiogu, confirmed this in a statement made available to Parliamentary Correspondents in Abuja.
According to him, the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Benjamin Kalu who represents the constituency in the National Assembly attracted the project after successfully moving a landmark motion that elicited the reaction of the national parliament and the Federal Government on the dilapidated social infrastructure.
“Incidentally, a part of the bridge which is yet to be commissioned after its completion has caved in after a series of downpour as seen in a viral video.
“Inundated with calls, the Deputy Speaker’s Office is highly appalled by the unhealthy development and has taken up the matter.
“Having been duly informed, the Ecological Office will appear before the parliament alongside the consultant, MX Consulting Engineering Services and the contractor handling the project, Nespresco Services Limited for an urgent meeting with the Ecological Funds Committee of the House.
“The Committee is expected to investigate the circumstances surrounding the matter and may visit the site to ascertain the level of collapse and take steps to fix the problem.
“We would want to clarify that the Office of the Deputy Speaker did not appoint the contractors as members of the parliament do not have the statutory powers to choose contractors.
“They can only attract projects to their constituencies while a relevant agency of the federal government is left to handle the process. This is the case with Nkpa bridge.
“It should also be noted that the Deputy Speaker has declined all entireties to commission the project until its integrity is proven.
“The Office of the Deputy Speaker therefore enjoins the people of Nkpa, Bende constituents, Abians and indeed, all the users of the bridge and Nkpa road to be calm as efforts are being made to find lasting solutions to the problem,” Nwabughiogu said.
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