By Kenneth Orusi, Managing Editor
The Delta State Government has terminated several contracts awarded by the previous administration, citing slow progress and failure by contractors to deliver the projects at the pace expected by the government.
The decision was among the outcomes of the State Executive Council (SEC), meeting, held on Monday August 31, 2026, where the government approved the repudiation of a number of projects following recommendations by the State Tenders Board.
Commissioner for Public Information, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, flanked by the Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Sir Festus Ahon, during a Post Exco briefing said the affected projects were terminated because their execution had fallen below expectations, stressing that the government could no longer allow public funds to remain tied up in projects that were not progressing satisfactorily.
Among the projects affected are the Okerenkoko Township Road, the construction of Adjei Street and School Road with interlocking stones at a new layout in Warri South Local Government Area, and the permanent office complex for the Delta State Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC).
Aniagwu explained that the termination was necessary to create room for fresh procurement processes and enable the government to engage contractors with the capacity to complete the projects within reasonable timelines.
He said the administration was particularly concerned about projects inherited from the previous administration that had failed to make adequate progress despite the award of contracts.
According to him, the government’s action was not merely administrative but aimed at preventing a repeat of situations where projects remain stalled while public resources are committed to them.
The Commissioner said the approval would allow the government to prepare fresh memos for the affected projects and commence the process of re-awarding them to more capable contractors.
He stressed that the administration would continue to scrutinise the performance of contractors handling government projects, warning that contracts that fail to meet agreed delivery expectations could face similar consequences.
The development raises fresh questions about the effectiveness of contract monitoring and enforcement in the state, particularly where projects inherited from previous administrations remain incomplete despite public expenditure.
Aniagwu, however, maintained that the government’s priority was to ensure value for money and accelerate the delivery of infrastructure to communities.
He said the termination of poorly performing contracts was part of the administration’s broader effort to ensure that taxpayers’ funds were not locked into abandoned, delayed or substandard projects.
The Commissioner added that contractors capable of delivering projects efficiently would be given the opportunity to undertake the works as the government moves to restart the affected projects through fresh procurement processes.
