…says her ministry opens for criticism
By Abdul Momoh
The Kwara State Honorable Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Hajia Ahmad Fatimoh Abdulrasaq has debunked the report that the ongoing rehabilitation of schools across the state is mared with substandard and irregularities.
She stated this while briefing newsmen in her office, yesterday.
You will recall that the Kwara House of Assembly on Wednesday summoned the commissioner alongside the contractors handling various projects in the state to appear before it today over the poor quality of some projects.
According to her, ‘there is no shoddy work at any spot of the projects as work is still ongoing at the site.’
“I want to say that our ministry is open for criticism be it from the public or from the Honorable member’s of the House of Assembly.
” I want to assure you that there is no shoddy work anywhere, the projects are still ongoing and if there is any observation made, we will make sure that necessary corrections are been done and the contractors will move back to the site as soon as possible, ” she noted.
Continuing, ‘I have been to all the site across the 16 Local Government Area of the state. When I went to the site I corrected some observed mistakes which I believed the contractors are working on it. So the projects are ongoing, not completed ‘
“Most of the projects are ongoing it has not been completed. Series of meetings have been held with contractors here in my office emphasising quality job delivery. I toured all the project sites across the 3 senatorial zone ,all the defects noticed were pointed out by my team ( experts from the project unit of the ministry).
“we have the pictorial evidence of all these , and the contractors have no option than to do the needful. The Government of Governor AbdulRahaman AbdulRasaq is an open one, the general puplic too are free to visit the sites and forward their observations so that needful will be done,” Abdulrasaq said.
Reacting to whether if her ministry will sanction some contractors if find wanting perhaps the allegation of poor work quality as observed by the House of Assembly is true, Ahmed said such contractors will be dealt with appropriately.
“Of course. There was a time I had a meeting with the contractors and I told them categorically that we are not going to compromise standard, because we want a situation where the public will see what the Governor has done and they will appreciate us. So if any contractor is find wanting, we will not hestitate to deal with him appropriately.
” Like I said, the project is ongoing and even if it is completed, there is a period to monitor or to supervise the projects in case there are lapses or mistakes which allows us to get the contractors move back to the site.
“And that is why contractos still have a retention fees in the ministry. I want to assure you that most of the projects are still ongoing, it has not be completed. The contractors have not been fully paid,” the commissioner stressed.
She however said that she has not been summoned by the Kwara State House of Assembly as it is been speculated around.
“There has not been any summon on me by the Kwara State House of Assembly as of today. The duration for the completion of project is six month part of which the lockdown as a result of Covid-19 has hampered.”
The commissioner used the medium to appeal to the people of Kwara State to appreciation the effort of His Excellency, Mall. AbdulRahaman Abdulsalam for changing the narrative of the state.
“I would want the people of the state to appreciate the effort of the Governor for trying to change the narrative of the state. This is a state that is moribund for the past 16 years, so I want them to acknowledge what the governor is doing and be patient with him, she concluded.
