Kaduna govt to blacklists contractors, revives N6.35bn projects

The Kaduna State Government has concluded plans to revoke contracts awarded to contractors who have been mobilised but disappeared with the funds meant for the projects. The government said the affected contractors would be handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for prosecution. To this end, the Kaduna State Ministry of Education […]

The Kaduna State Government has concluded plans to revoke contracts awarded to contractors who have been mobilised but disappeared with the funds meant for the projects.

The government said the affected contractors would be handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for prosecution.

To this end, the Kaduna State Ministry of Education has met with contractors to ensure the completion of 55 ongoing capital projects in the sector awarded between 2016 and 2019.

The Commissioner for Education, Dr. Shehu Makarfi, disclosed this at a meeting with some of the contractors on the problems affecting execution of the projects.

A government document shows that the projects awarded at the cost of over N6.35bn were mainly construction, renovation and rehabilitation of classrooms.

Others are the construction of drainage system, solar-powered boreholes, toilets, supply and installation of solar streetlights, supply of furniture, as well as construction of perimetre fences.

The commissioner said the percentage of completion of the projects ranged from zero to 80 per cent, and that only four of the projects were 100 per cent completed, adding that this was despite about N2.31bn so far disbursed to the contractors.

He said the state government had concluded plans to pay outstanding contract liabilities, but noted that some of the contractors were not doing very well while others just collected mobilisation and disappeared.

Makarfi, therefore, said such contracts would be revoked and the affected contractors handed over to EFCC.

“We equally observed that some of the contractors are not executing the projects as specified in the Bill of Quantity. This is unacceptable and such contractors would not be paid until the projects meet minimum standard,” he said.

He noted that the state government was developing a compendium of accredited contractors, and therefore urged the contractors to avoid being blacklisted.

Responding on behalf of the contractors, Malam Ibrahim Balarabe identified payment and security challenges as the major problems affecting the execution of the projects.