WHEN the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-dominated Delta State House of Assembly passed a resolution on October 27, demanding that Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan compel contractors to complete what looked like abandoned and poorly executed projects, failing which they resolved to adjourn sitting indefinitely, it probably did not occur to the lawmakers that the opposition was going to make a mountain out of it.Like a lion waiting patiently and stealthily to pounce at its quarry at the slightest opportunity, the main opposition Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) immediately went on the offensive.From the innuendoes hauled at the governor, it was evident that it was the magic moment the parry's leaders had been waiting for to cut their pound of flesh.Piqued by the general poor work being done by the contractors, the legislators, who had just resumed after over 10 weeks vacation deplored the sorry state of the pothole-ridden roadsand drainage networks in the state capital of Asaba, the oil town of Warri and other major towns as result of the bad work by the contractors.From having 26 out of the 29 members in the last session of the Assembly, the ruling party had its overwhelming majority reduced to 19 members.The DPP presently has eight members, but ironically, it was the PDP that chose to bell the cat and not the opposition.Just as the House resumed sitting, Mr. Dennis Omuvie (Warri South 11) moved a motiondemanding that the affected contractors be brought to book for poor execution of projects.He was supported by Mr. Johnson Erijo (Isoko South II), who sought to amend the motion.Erijo lashed out at the contractors handling the roads and drainage projectsfor a shoddy job, well overthree years after their mobilisation by the government.Still fuming, the legislator said that some of the uncompleted road projects, especially the Ughelli-Asaba dualisation, had become a death trap and called for its speedy completion, as many lives were being lost on it every daily and if nothing is done and fast, more lives stood to be lost.He stressed that the people who voted them into office were not happy with them, because of the poor state of infrastructure and the menace of flooding in the state capital.The motion, which was unanimously adopted by the Assembly, was seconded by the Majority Leader Monday Igbuya (Sapele Constituency).In deference to the resolution of the lawmakers, Uduaghan, ostensibly in response, ordered all complacent contractors executing some key projects in the state to return to site immediately or risk been sanctioned.A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Sunny Ogefere, said since the rain had stopped, all contractors must mobilise fully to site and ensure speedy completion of the projects or be prepared to face the full wrath of the government for non-performance.Obviously determined to let them know that he hold them in high esteem, the governor assured the legislators that the executive would continue to collaborate with them to deliver the elusive dividends of democracy to Deltans through good governance and accountability.In its quest to score political point out of the face-off, the state Chairman of DPP, Chief Tony Ezeagwu, in a statement, titled, 'Uduaghan: A Time to Give Account,' condemned what he said was a mismanagement of the state's resources by the present administration, which he alleged had reached an alarming proportion.While saluting the courage of the legislators to adjourn sine die, Ezeagwu maintained that the decision was a tacit vote of no confidence on Uduaghan, saying the situation on ground, in terms of development and transformation of the state, was grossly incongruent with the federal allocation and Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).He said: 'This is a new era of accountability and transparency. Gone are days when the affairs of the state are run in secrecy. Usually, budget serves as the fiscal instrument for the implementation of government policies, and projects are the ultimate tool for the assessment of overall performance of any government.'The DPP urges all Deltans and Nigerians to hold their elective officers accountable at all times, as it will amount to a travesty of justice if people of good conscience say or do nothing against bad governance masquerading as political leaders.'When the House convened on Wednesday, November 9, the mood was noticeably relaxed.For speedily compelling erring the contractors, who abandoned their jobs, to go back to sites, in line with their recent resolution, the contrite legislators passed a unanimous vote of confidence on the governor, forproperly pilotingthe affairs of the state effectively.At the sitting, the legislators, who had adjourned sitting indefinitely to protest the slow pace of work by the contractors, berated the DPP for misconstruing the intent of its resolution and disparaging the state government over alleged financial impropriety.Amotion by Erijo, which sought to condemn the report, was amended by Mr. Daniel Mayuku (Warri South West), whorather called for a vote of confidence on the governor, and was adopted unanimously.Curiously, none of the oppositionlawmakers, whose leaders were very vehement in their criticism of the governor, raise a voice against the motion.A six-man committee, headed by Erijo, which was given two weeks to submit its report, was immediately constituted by Speaker Victor Ochei to examine the performance of the indicted contractors, with a view to bringing culpable ones to book.For Ochei, that the House resumed sittingwas evident that the contractors were back to sites across the state and by this move, the dividends of democracy would trickle down to the people.On the offensive, Igbuya accused the opposition of cashing in on the resolution to malign the House and bring disrepute to the Uduaghan-led administration.To Erijo, there was no doubt that Uduaghan meant well for the masses when he initiated the various projects and that the intention of the lawmakers in calling on him to get the contractors back to site was not politically motivated, but altruistic.
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