Mr Mike Paulinus, the contractor handling the renovation of Ninte Primary Healthcare Centre in Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State, northwest Nigeria, says the job was executed according to specifications.
Paulinus, of Seramon-T Concept Ltd., told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna on Thursday that the materials used in the project were as specified in the Bill of Quantity.
The contractor also refuted claims by the community that the project was badly executed.
According to him, the materials met every standard for quality and safety as would be required for such project.
NAN recalls that the health facility was burnt in May 2016 during an attack on the community by gunmen that left seven people death and several persons injured.
The Jema’a council in December 2017 awarded the contract for the renovation of the centre to Seramon-T Concept Ltd., with completion date of Feb. 9, 2018.
But the community during a recent town hall meeting organised by an NGO, Connected Development (CODE), rejected the renovated PHC because of what they described as “a shoddy job”.
The Village Head of the community, Mr Hassan Jatau, had alleged that the renovated centre was of low standard befitting a healthcare centre.
Jatau explained that the quality of paint used was poor while the electrical cables and the wiring were bad.
“The doors were made with ceiling board that we had to stop the contractor from installing them.
“The toilets were also in bad shape and the soakaway was dug and left open, including the staff quarters left with no doors and toilet facility uncompleted,” the traditional ruler had said.
Besides, the traditional ruler said that the health centre was renovated with no water facility.
CODE Project Assistant, Mr Kingsley Agu, said that all effort to get the Bill of Quantity of the project from the Jema’a council was unsuccessful.
Paulinus and the Administrator of Jema’a council, though invited to the meeting were not present and refused to respond to calls and text messages to get their reaction to the development.
However, Paulinus later explained that he could not respond to calls and text messages on the development because he was attending his father’s burial.
The contractor said that he was awarded the contract to renovate the centre and build five bedroom staff quarters with four VIP toilets and two bathrooms.
He said that the contract does not include water supply as assumed by the community.
The local council had on Feb. 9 claimed to had spent N119 million to complete infrastructural projects in the area.
Among the projects listed by the administrator, Alhaji Mu’azu Usman, was renovation of the Ninte PHC with staff quarters.
But the contractor said that contrary to this claim, the project was yet to be completed nor handed over to Jema’a council.
“I was equally as surprise as the community when I read on news papers that the project has been completed,’’ he said.
Paulinus alleged that theft of building materials by unidentified community members had slowed down the project.
“But I am assuring the community and Jema’a council that the project will be completed in a few days from now, as the required materials are currently being sourced,’’ he said.
Similarly, the administrator of the council acknowledged that the project was on going.
On the poor quality of job, he said that the council noted some anomalies and had drawn the attention of the contractor who agreed to address it.
“I am assuring the community that we will not accept anything less than what we specified in the contract,’’ Usman said.
Source: NAN
https://www.africaprimenews.com/2017/11/06/governance/nigeria-restore-full-payment-salaries-allowances-lg-health-workers-council-tells-govt/
