Local contractors upset gov’t

Officials here seem completely upset with local contractors over the alleged abandonment of several government projects awarded them, as suggestions mounts over their prosecution.

Among the projects awarded to local contractors are schools and local government infrastructures. ,On Wednesday, September 16, more comments were heard at the dedication of a modern school complex constructed by Vertu Humanitarian and Construction Incorporated in Garzon Town, Careysburg District in Montserrado County, after an Education Officer, Mr. David W. Baysah complained of many school projects in the counties being abandoned where funding is “either” completd.

Montserrado County Superintendent Florence Brandy said Mr. Baysah was “right” that “there are lots of abandoned projects” especially school buildings because the Education Ministry here is not coordinating with the county authorities in terms of implementing projects.

Madam Brandy equally complained that there has been a problem with most of the district projects in her county, adding that “if we do not give Liberians projects, they say Liberians do not support Liberians.” She argued that though the delays of projects here have been the disbursement of funds, she however, expects “responsible contractors” to continue their work.

Madam Brandy believes that if the Education Ministry had been coordinating with the county authorities, the ministry would have been guided as to where school facilities should be constructed. “You are right; there are lots of abandoned projects, especially school buildings completed, turned over but there are no students because those school buildings were built somewhere in isolation,” she said.

For her part, Montserrado County District 9 Representative Madam Munah Pehnue Youngblood called for prosecution of contractors who take taxpayers’ money and leave projects undone. “And the issue concerning uncompleted projects, I think we need, now as a government to put our foot down to start to prosecute the contractors who take taxpayers’ money and don’t complete our work,” she recommended at the dedication of the Garzon public school in Careysburg.

She urged the Education Ministry to work along with the ministry of justice so that contractors breaching contracts can be prosecuted because they make Liberia to look bad to its partners after receiving money for particular projects.

Apparently given the experience with local contractors here, the Special Project Officer at the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning Mr. Amos Korku narrated how he personally doubted that Madam Rema Fawaz would have completed the newly dedicated Garzon Basic Education Complex when the contract was ongoing, saying he was very glad that she proved him wrong.

By Winston W. Parley – Edited by Othello B. Garblah