Speed up projects before we direct Ambode to stop you – Lawmakers warn contractors

7 years ago

Speed up projects before we direct Ambode to stop you – Lawmakers warn contractors

The Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Transportation, on Thursday urged contractors handling Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) Bus Terminal and laybys at Iyana-Oworoshoki to speed up construction work.
The Chairman of the committee, Mr Fatai Mojeed gave the charge while on a fact-finding exercise with other members of the committee as part of its oversight function.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Quattro Alchemy is handling redevelopment of Bus Terminal at TBS while FCC is in charge of three laybys and a parallel road at Iyana-Oworoshoki area of the state.

Mojeed said that the projects were designed to improve the transportation system and ease traffic congestion in the state.

“If at the end of the day, we are not satisfied with work done in line with specifications, the House has the right to advise the executive on what step to be taken as regards those contracts.

“Out of the three projects that we visited, it is only at the one at Alapere that the contractor is on site. They commenced the work in June, but I believe they will complete it within the specified period.

“At the other one at TBS, the ministry has released 70 percent of the contract sum, but with the physical assessment we have carried out, we discovered that only 35 percent of the job has been done.

“However, the contractor has given assurance that any moment from now, they will move back to site.

“For the one at Iyana-Oworo and Kosofe axis, the contractors were not on site. They are yet to commence the major part of the work which has to do with the road.”

The lawmaker, who urged contractors to move back to site, said that the House would not tolerate a situation where tax payers’ money would not be judiciously spent.

“The reason why we are inviting them is to see all the necessary documents. These are procurement certificate, letter of the award, performance payment certificate, BOQ, which specify the scope of the work,” Mojeed said.

The representative of the Quattro Alchemy at TBS, Mr Omotayo Sheni, told the committee that the delay was caused by the issue the contractor had with the Customs Service over the canopy imported for the project.

“They (Nigeria Customs Service) have given assurance that within the next four days we will get the consignment.

“The work will be completed as soon as we get the consignment,” he said. (NAN)