Yahaya Bello blasts Chinese contractor over substandard job, says unacceptable

By STEPHEN ADELEYE

Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi on Monday, in Lokoja reprimanded the Chinese contractor handling the renovation of the Kogi Specialist Hospital, Lokoja, for executing a substandard project and delay in delivery.

Bello lambasted the contractor while on an assessment visit to some ongoing projects across the state, adding that the poor quality of work was unacceptable by the state government.

The governor, while criticising the Chinese company,  Changjiang Construction Nigerian Ltd, also expressed disapproval with the concerned ministries and parastatal agencies over the shoddy job done by the contractor.

“Work done is Zero! Honourable Commissioner for Works, Health, CMD, I am not convinced with what I am seeing here as far as the renovation is concerned. This has shown that you have no capacity.

“This is not GYB’s standard, I am a man of quality and everything I do as far as Kogi State is concerned in terms of project depicts quality and standard, World Standard!

“I cannot imagine that, this is where I am spending money.

“This job is supposed to have been delivered before now. In the first instance, you have delayed; you have breached that particular part of the contract,” he said.

The governor, however, gave the contractor a deadline till December to ensure that they correct every shabby work done, while he promised to hold responsible those who recommended and certified the company for the job.

“So, I am holding you squarely responsible for this and we are going to take appropriate actions. And, I give you between now and December this year to go back and do this job properly.

“This is what we call ‘rub and shine’ and I cannot allow this to be used to describe me, I will never allow that.

“And, whoever introduced you to the state to be given contract, I will hold the person equally responsible. Because not even a supplier I recommend to do any job in this state.

“Is this the quality of the hospital in China, if you are sick will you be treated here, will you want to be admitted in this hospital, are we owing you?

“We do not owe you any dime and you think this is the kind of job you can do for us. You can do it somewhere else in Nigeria but not in Kogi State.

“If it was done like this before in Kogi State, not under GYB, not under my watch, I am not going to take that,” Bello said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Bello also visited other ongoing projects across the states to ensure that work was going on as expected with contractors on the ground.

Some of the projects he inspected included the Ganaja Junction flyover, the River Niger embankment projects at the old market, the GYB Modern Science School, Adankolo, reconstruction of the Paparanda Square-Nataco Jucntion township road.

Bello also visited the construction site of the Gegu-Beki General Hospital in Kogi Local Government Area of the state, amongst other projects.

He, however, expressed satisfaction over the quality of jobs done at the Ganaja flyover and the GYB modern Science School.

The governor said that infrastructural developments amongst other yearnings of Kogis remained the priority of his administration. (NAN)