By Victor Ahiuma-Young

No fewer than 3,000 workers have been laid off by construction giant, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, in Rivers State, following significant shortfalls in periodic project cost payments by the state government, currently headed by a sole administrator.

This development comes amid indications that more workers may be thrown into the labour market next month if the situation persists.

Investigations reveal that several major projects have been stalled. These include the Ring Road through Emohua, Tema, Abalama to Abonnema; the Port Harcourt Ring Road to the Emohua-Abalama/Tema Junction Road; and the Ahoada-Omoku-Ndoni Road, including its extension, which involves the dualisation of the 25.4km Ahoada-Omoku Road linking Ogbo-Okudu Road Junction in Ahoada East to Omoku in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area.

Also halted is the reconstruction of the Buguma-Abalama-Tema-Degema-Abonnema Road, a critical 19.6km route connecting several riverine communities.

Equally affected is a 50.15km dual carriageway designed to connect six Local Government Areas: Port Harcourt, Obio Akpor, Ikwerre, Etche, Eleme, and Oyigbo.

Other stalled projects include the Ozuoba Flyover, with connecting roads to the Rumumasi Flyover, and roads linking Rumumasi to Aluu Flyover, Aluu to Kala Flyover, and Kala to Elelenwo Flyover, as well as key projects along the East-West Road axis.

Aggrieved workers, who have been asked to stay away from work pending an improvement in the situation, blamed the non-release of funds by the state’s sole administrator for their plight.

It was gathered that for some time, the periodic monthly payments for the contracts have dropped drastically.

A worker lamented: “At the ongoing Port Harcourt Ring Road project, we were about 800 workers on site. Today, fewer than 300 are still working.
It’s not just our site—other sites are facing the same issue. From the Emohua axis, where the Buguma-Degema road project is ongoing, to the reconstruction of the Buguma-Abalama-Tema-Degema-Abonnema Road, many projects have stopped, and most workers have been sent home. Equally affected is the 50.15km dual carriageway meant to connect six local government areas.”
On the number of workers laid off, he said: “I can’t give an exact number, because layoffs are happening daily. But without exaggerating, over 3,000 workers have been laid off. The problem is that the state is very volatile. This situation has worsened youth restiveness. Everyone knows how tough things are in the country right now. One worker often supports five or more people outside his immediate family. When people work, they support food vendors and petty traders. All that has stopped around the project sites.
“There is speculation that if payments do not improve by the end of June, the company may shut down most sites. We pray it doesn’t come to that, because the socio-economic—and even security—implications could be unmanageable,” he said.
An official of the company, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the gravity of the situation.
He said over 3,000 employees have been asked to stay away until the situation improves and warned that the company may be forced to shut down most sites if the government fails to meet its contractual obligations.
“If that happens, most workers will be retrenched because we can’t afford to borrow money to pay salaries and other benefits,” he added.
Recall that in 2023, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc and the Rivers State Government signed a ₦195 billion contract for the construction of the Port Harcourt Ring Road, intended to link no fewer than five Local Government Areas in the state.