FCTA To Sanction Erring Contractors

Senator Bala Mohammed, the FCT Minister says contractors who fail to execute contracts according to the terms of contractual agreement with the government are to be blacklisted.

A statement made by the Chief Press Secretary to the minister, Mr. Muhammad Sule said that the minister gave the warning while inspecting the multi-billion-naira 225-bed Karu General Hospital in Abuja.

The statement said that the minister gave the contractors four weeks ultimatum for the completion and handover of the main structure or face blacklisting.

Mohammed warned that his administration would not condone lackadaisical attitude from any contractor as contracts must be delivered on scheduled.

“I will not partner with any contractor who delays work and turns-around to request for contract variation,” he stressed.

He directed the Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Mr Muhammad Alhassan, to oversee the completion of the hospital.

“The deployment of the FCDA Executive Secretary to fully take over the work at the hospital underscores the importance the government attaches to the project,” the Minister said.

Mohammed lamented that the equipment to be installed in the hospital had been on ground since the past three years.

“The residents of the Federal Capital Territory are in dire need of the hospital facilities and therefore, the FCT administration cannot afford any further delay,” Mohammed said.

It was learnt that the contract for the building of the Karu General Hospital was awarded to H & S Nigeria Ltd while the contract for its equipment was awarded to Vamed Nigeria Ltd in April 2005 with a completion period of 55 weeks.