House of Assembly wants sanctions for erring contractors

chika ebuzor

February 23, 2016 5:05 AM

Tobun said that the committee would intensify efforts to ensure that contractors of the state government carry out their contracts according to specifications.

House of Assembly passes 2016 Appropriation Bill.

The Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Works and Infrastructure on Monday said that any contractor that abandoned government projects should be made to face sanctions.

The Chairman of the Committee, Mr Abiodun Tobun, spoke with newsmen in Lagos after an inspection of some dredging projects in the state.

"It is tax payers' money that is being spent on the projects; government fund has been appropriately apportioned, so the money must be judiciously spent.

"Those who abandon government projects should pay the contract money back to the government and we will bring them to the chamber of the House if they fail to do that.

"We will expose such persons and let Lagos residents know them. They have been given enough money to make profit and if you put the capital and profit in your pocket, you will be brought to book and dealt with.

"We will write our reports and bring the person to the floor of the House, then take a decision and send it to the governor to take action on such contractors," he said.

Tobun said that the committee went on oversight functions to see some of the projects in the state and see their level of development.

He said that they went to see what was on ground with a view to reviewing the projects.

"We were able to visit two projects including the channelisation of Ajegunle-Ilo Aboru that was awarded to Dolly Dredging that is on-going and another project in Egbe, which is also on-going.

"As far as I am concerned, the project in Aboru is not encouraging. The rate at which the project is going is questionable and it is not encouraging at all," he said.

According to him, a contractor, Dolly Dredging has been summoned to tell the House what their challenges are following the slow pace of the work.

He said: "It is giving us a setback. So, we need to see them and see how far they have gone because they are delaying the development of the state.

"Let them come and tell us if it is funding that is delaying them, but we know it is not funding. "

chika ebuzor