Lack Of Bank Guarrantee Delays MDGs Projects

The Enugu State Universal Basic Education Board, says its failure to secure Advanced Payment Guarantee (APG)  is delaying the implementation of  MDGs projects.  The Chairman of  the  board, Mrs  Ethel Nebo, said this on Wednesday in an interview with the newsmen in Enugu.

She said that unless the  payment  guarantee was released, the execution of  the contract would not commence.  Nebo said some banks do not  release  the payment guarantee until six months after  the contracts had been awarded.

She said the board gave the contractors a grace period of  nine months, adding up to a year for  completion of  the  projects.

Nebo also said the board had yet to complete the execution of  the 2008 and 2009 projects because of delay in accessing  the payment guarantee. “We achieved 85 per cent completion of  the 2008 and 2009 MDGs  projects. We will soon complete them  because our supervisors have commended our efforts.

“The board awarded 300 contracts on renovation  and construction  of school blocks in November last year and the contractors were given three months to complete the projects,’’ she added.  “We are not ready to extend the project for a day. If any contractor fails to conclude by the end of  November, it might be terminated,’’ she said.