The contractor handling the reconstruction of the collapsed wall of the Chuba Ikpeazu Stadium, Onitsha, Anambra State on Sunday engaged a director in the state's ministry of sports in a brawl over funds for the project.
The contractor, Mr Patrick Chinedu, of Heritage Engineering Ltd., Awka, accused the Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, Mr Anayo Okoli, of diverting the project's mobilisation funds.
The squabble, which took place at the ministry's office in Awka, attracted the attention of many, including the Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Dr Edozie Aroh, as well as the Chairman Anambra State House of Assembly Committee on Sports, Mr Obinna Emenaka.
Chinedu told the News Agency of Nigeria that he had only received N1m of the N1.5m mobilisation from a total contract of N3.5m approved by the Anambra State Government for the project.
"I am having problems with Okoli who is supervising the project. He was instructed to mobilise me with N1.5m to commence the job, but instead, he gave me N500,000 before going for the 18th National Sports Festival in Lagos," Chinedu said.
"Now that he is back, he was told to give me the outstanding N1m, which has been released by the accountant, but he rather paid another N500, 000 on December 13, promising to complete it two days later.
"As I am talking to you now, what he is telling me is that he has used the money to attend a conference.
"I am to deliver this job on or before December 31 but his failure to release the money is frustrating efforts at executing the job on schedule. My workers have not been paid."
In response to the allegation, Okoli said the project was a direct labour job which the ministry supervised directly, adding that he was not under any obligation to disburse funds directly to the contractor.
He said the contractor ought not to ask for funds directly but should rather be concerned with the materials needed for the job.
"This is purely a direct labour job, which the ministry is executing directly.
"It is not a contract job. This contractor is not known to the ministry; he should be behind the scene and I am surprised that he is challenging me for payment," Okoli said.
Aroh, who expressed displeasure as he watched the events unfold, told NAN that he was surprised at the complaints of the contractor, noting that the ministry released N1.5m to him for mobilisation for the project.
He said it was wrong for an official to withdraw funds in his name, instead of the contractor, who was duly awarded the job, having qualified for the project.
"The director recommended and I approved the sum of N1.5m as part payment from the total sum of N3.5m, which is the worth of the job and we promised to pay up at the end of the project.
"I have told the Director, PRS to pay the contractor to enable him to execute his job," Aroh said.
