Few days after Rivers governor raised concern about the huge profile left behind by his predecessor a letter purportedly written by HADO Nigeria Limited, a civil and steel engineering construction firm, one of the companies that executed projects in the state has surfaced online.
In the letter, HADO appealed to Governor Siminalayi Fubara for the settlement of an outstanding N467 million debt owed for road projects completed during the tenure of former Governor Nyesom Wike.
In a letter dated March 7 and received by the governor’s office on May 2, 2024, HADO Nigeria outlined the specifics of the projects completed in 2016 and 2017, which remain unpaid.
The letter, referenced HNL-ADM-CONT-2024-L530 and signed by Paul Doumit, detailed the work done and requested Governor Fubara’s intervention to facilitate the payment.
The letter titled, “Request For Payment Of Outstanding Payments For: Ogbunabali Internal Roads And Ozuoba-Rumuosi And Ozuoba-Rumuokparaeli-Choba Roads,” described the completed projects and the financial obligations yet to be met.
The Ogbunabali Internal Roads Project, completed in 2017, has an outstanding balance of N264,742,965.40, while the Ozuoba-Rumuosi and Rumuokparaeli Road Projects, completed in December 2016, have an outstanding balance of N202,330,955.76.
The total amount due for both projects is N467,073,921.16.
“Contractor humbly solicits His Excellency’s intervention for the outstanding payments of the above-mentioned completed road projects,” the letter read. It further urged Governor Fubara to consider and address the payment request.
On Tuesday, Governor Fubara revealed that his administration inherited significant debt from projects initiated by the previous administration under Nyesom Wike.
He disclosed that numerous contractors, who completed various projects under Wike, were seeking payment for their work, with outstanding balances running into billions.
This situation has intensified the tension between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Wike, who was renowned for his extensive project initiatives, including the construction of 12 flyovers.
Wike had often claimed that these projects were fully funded, attributing the payments to the arrears of the 13 percent allocation to Niger Delta states, paid by former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Governor Fubara, who served as the state’s Accountant-General during Wike’s administration, announced his intention to probe Wike’s eight-year tenure, a move that coincides with his revelations about the substantial debts inherited from Wike’s projects.
The ongoing financial disputes and the looming investigation signal a deepening crisis between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, casting a shadow over the former governor’s legacy as “Mr. Projects.”
