According to Kidega, the contractor was expected to use concrete blocks made from stone dust but he instead used blocks produced on the site using local sand, murrum soil and cement.
The Lamwo Resident
District Commissioner, James Nabinson Kidega has halted the construction
of a multi million maternity and outpatient wards at Katum health Centre
II in Padibe East Sub County citing shoddy work.
Kidega issued the
directive to halt the construction works valued at Shillings 500 on Monday after
ascertaining that the contractor was using substandard material during the
routine monitoring exercise.
Kidega says he intervened after he was tipped off by some residents and district officials about the substandard works.
According
to Kidega, the contractor was expected to utilize concrete blocks made from
stone dust but he instead used blocks produced on the site using local sand, murrum
soil and cement.
He
expressed dissatisfaction on the quality of the blocks when he struck some of
them with a hammer and they split into pieces.
Kidega immediately halted the construction works and ordered
the arrest of some of the workers including the site, engineer, Geoffrey
Oyet and Mansion, Brian Ogenrwot from 3Ms Investment Ltd.
// Cue in: “During my monitoring……..
Cue out….this is corruption”//
The Lamwo Chief administrative Officer, Patrick Olila
has confirmed receiving complaints from residents about shoddy works, saying he
had directed the district engineer to supervise the works.
Olila says he subsequently wrote to the Health Ministry that
instructed the district to hire a works clerk to help monitor the
construction and was waiting for a technical report on the quality of
works being undertaken.
He lauded the Resident District Commissioner for
his intervention, saying it will help streamline the tendency of
contractors who exhibit substandard works that compromises service
delivery to residents.
//Cue in: “But of course…..
Cue out: ……..on the ground”//
Early this year, government through the Health
Ministry secured funding from the African development Bank and World Bank to
upgrade 205 superior health facilities from Health Centre II to health center
III status to enhance service delivery to the local populace.
Patrick Olila says Lamwo district is amongst the
districts that received Shillings 500 million for the works at Katum health center
II.
Dan Michael Komakech
Freelancer