EXECUTION OF GHS PROJECT IS POOR AND MAY NOT PASS OUR TESTS – ENetSuD TELLS ABDULRAHMAN

• Governor directs the contractor to address observations

The Elites Network for Sustainable Development (ENetSuD), a Kwara-based Civil Society organization known for its #FollowKwaraMoney activities, has submitted the preliminary report of its Social Audit of Government High School Ilorin (GHS) to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. In the 14-page report, ENetSuD told the Governor that the execution of the project is poor and may not pass its qualitative and quantitative tests unless the contractor and the supervising Ministry make the necessary adjustments before its completion.

The GHS project, whose contract sum is ₦361,957,438:82, has 2 lots with 16 and 17 projects respectively, most of which are renovation in nature. ENetSuD noted that the work done by the contractor was not up to standard, and made some of the following general observations, among others:

1. The contractor did not follow the proper sequence of building construction work as the work was done haphazardly, which shows that there was no supervision of the work by the relevant Ministry.

2. PVC ceiling (which is cheaper, less durable, and has no fire resistance) was used by the contractor instead of the asbestos cement ceiling specified in the Bill of Quantity (BoQ).

3. Where metal windows existed before the contract execution, the contractor reused them and the doors and repainted them only without providing new ones as provided in the BoQ.

4. The painting of walls ought to be preceded by preparatory steps to remedy the existing wall defects but such basic and mandatory steps were not carried out. Moreover, the painting was already done on buildings where works were still ongoing, whereas painting is supposed to be the last stage of the construction works. Thus, the painting works are not professionally acceptable.

While concluding the report, ENetSuD told the Governor that:

1. The level of works done at GHS by the contractor is not due for our quantitative (cost) evaluation as the project is still ongoing. This preliminary report summarises our interim assessment of the works. When the project is completed and handed over by the contractor to the KWSG, we shall (again) do our final Audit on it to give rise to quantitative and qualitative assessments that will be more comprehensive than the current one. Our final report will carefully differentiate the new works done by the contractor from the previous works done by the Alumni Association.

2. The general assessment of our audit shows that the project execution is poor and may not pass our final qualitative and quantitative tests unless the contractor and the supervising Ministry make the necessary adjustments before its completion. For instance, many items provided in the BoQ were not done by the contractor, while many of those that the contractor did are of low quality. We hope that there will be improvement before the contract is completed and handed over, as we are interested in value for taxpayers’ money.

3. Audit of ongoing (not yet completed) projects like the GHS is the best practice that will prevent the execution of substandard jobs and waste of taxpayers’ money, as it avails us the opportunity of monitoring the works even before completion. Though it is more expensive for ENetSuD that will have to audit a single project many times, the impact of the audit on Kwara state is worth our expenses.

After the submission of the report to the Governor, he has directed the relevant authorities to instruct the contractor that all the observations raised by ENetSuD should be properly addressed in compliance with the contract terms and the Bill of Quantity of the project.

Signed,
Usman Radhiyyat Taiye (Mrs),
Deputy Coordinator (Administration),
Elites Network for Sustainable Development (ENetSuD),
8/11/2020