The Minister of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, said all contractors that abandoned projects in Akwa-Ibom and other states in the Niger Delta area should refund money collected for such projects or complete them.

In a statement signed by the Head of Press at the ministry, Patricia Deworitshe, Akpabio also renamed the Skill Acquisition Centre at Ibeno, Akwa-Ibom State after the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).

The statement stated that the minister threatened the contractors after being told that the Niger Delta Development Commission abandoned more than 10 projects in the state during a courtesy call on the paramount ruler of the lbeno in the Ibeno Local Government Area of Akwa-lbom State, Owong Effiong Archianga.

The minister, who paid the visit after the inspection of the Skill Acquisition Centre at lbeno, stressed his determination to recover every money paid to contractors for all abandoned projects by the NDDC.

Some of the abandoned projects, according to the paramount ruler, are the construction of lwuoachang-Eastern Obolo Road, Itak Abasi/Okoritak Communities Shoreline protection/embankment, Upenekang/lwuoachang Shoreline protection and embankment, and the Ibeno Mini Stadium.

Others are Ibeno Civic Centre, Ibeno Standard Divisional Police headquarters, Orukim/Unyenge/ltioesek Road, mounting of transformers and electrification of lbeno villages, Inua Eyet lkot /ltak ldim Ukpa/Okposo Road, Ikot Ekong /lbeno Road and the channelisation of creeks in lbeno communities.

The statement said, “The minister assured the paramount ruler that the forensic audit of the NDDC as directed by Buhari would expose all contractors who received money and abandoned the projects.

“He said the contractors will either return to sites to complete the jobs or pay back the money they received and that the ones at lbeno communities would not be exempted from this task. Akpabio was furious at the report by Dr Archianga that the NDDC abandoned over 10 projects at the Ibeno Local Government Area.”

The minister also described as inaccurate the names given to the skill acquisition centre at Nkot-Nakanda in Calabar, Cross River State and the one at the Ibeno Local Government Area of Akwa lbom State.

The minister noted that the enormous facilities at the Nkot-Nakanda Centre qualified it as a mini polytechnic where certificates courses on tourism and hospitality could be obtained.

He added that the SAC at lbeno could be upgraded to an oil and gas institute due to its location.

He said courses in under water welding could also be studied at the centre because of the Olympic-size swimming pool constructed at the site.

Meanwhile, Akpabio has expressed satisfaction with the progress of works on the ministry’s projects in Abia State.

Akpabio, who said this on Saturday after a two-day inspection of selected capital projects of the ministry in Abia State, noted that “there were good jobs that were done” in the state.

Represented by his Permanent Secretary, Olusade Adesola, the minister said, “The contractors at the perils of their lives, went to these sites and started their work. I was touched when one of them told me that he was even kidnapped in the course of executing the project. Of course, he will not have his release with just a handshake.

“We will empower them with resources and then, he will continue until he finish his projects. The ministry will also assist them. But for those whose projects are still ongoing, we will look at what can be done to get more funding from the Federal Government in order to support their efforts to complete those projects.”