Executive Assistant on Communication and Orientation to Delta State Governor, Dr. Wilfred Latimore Oghenesive, Esq, has debunked fake news trending on social media, published by an online newspaper, alleging that the state government paid upfront contract sum of N78bn to Julius Berger Nigeria, for the construction of three flyovers and road expansion projects in some parts of the state.
Oghenesive in a statement on Saturday and made available to journalists advised citizens of the state and the general public to ignore the fake news which emanated from a relatively unknown group of indigenous contractors, adding that no amount of propaganda would derail the ongoing deliberate efforts of the governor, Rt. Hon Sheriff F.O. Oborevwori, from advancing Delta through meaningful development and high quality infrastructure projects.
Oghenesive recalls that the governor personally disclosed recently during the inspection of some projects at Boji Boji Owa in Ika North East Local Government Area of the State, that the contractor, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, had been fully mobilized with 25 % of the total contract sum, adding that the ground breaking event for the projects would be carried out between November and early December, after all preliminary works would have been concluded.
“We have mobilized Julius Berger with 25% of the total contract sum and they are doing the drawings, soil tests and all the necessary preliminary works now.
“Very soon, between now and first week of next month (December), we will have the ground breaking ceremony because everything is in top gear and we are going to keep to all our promises,” Oborevwori said.
Oghenesive wondered why some group of persons decided to mischievously peddle misinformation calculated to mislead Deltans and the general public over a transparent transaction between government and Julius Berger Nigeria, without seeking to know facts from the appropriate authorities in government, adding that governor Oborevwori will not indulge in any unscrupulous transaction that is against the interest of the people throughout his administration.
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“Delta State Government could not have paid the entire N78bn contract sum upfront to Julius Berger Nigeria. It’s unimaginable and can never be true.
“The governor personally disclosed recently that 25% was released to the contractor. This reliable piece of information is in public domain and widely published by the mass media.
“Secondly, the state government and the governor could not have ignored Indigenous contractors, because there are several projects handled by some credible and capable indigenous contractors in the state.
“Thirdly, Julius Berger Nigeria is a Corporate Citizen of Nigeria by virtue of it’s status as a juristic person, duly incorporated with the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC and a major player in the Nigerian Stock Exchange, as a Public Liability Company.
The company’s Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR, to Nigerians is second to none spanning several decades.
“Julius Berger Nigeria has the required technical and engineering expertise to deliver solid and durable infrastructure projects promised by governor Oborevwori under the MORE agenda, and no amount of blackmail and/or media propaganda will reverse the trend of ongoing quality projects across the three Senatorial districts,” Oghenesivbe assured.
