Contractor abandons three projects in Buliisa
‘’All funds were paid to a contractor who abandoned work, and the projects have stalled for two years so far,’’ said Atuhairwe.
Buliisa: Buliisa district has lost over 914 million shillings to a contractor who abandoned works before completion.
This was revealed by the district’s secretary for health, Harriet Atuhairwe, while giving a status report on health units at the district council meeting held recently.
Atuhairwe listed the affected health centers as Kihungya Health Center III with an uncompleted general purpose ward, Butiaba Health Center III, and Avogera Health Center III with uncompleted staff quarters.
She explained that the contract terms stipulated that the construction commencement and completion of the three projects were supposed to be done in 2022, but the buildings have not been completed to date.
‘’All funds were paid to a contractor who abandoned work, and the projects have stalled for two years so far,’’ said Atuhairwe.
In response, Ismael Onzu, the Buliisa District Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), revealed that he intervened in the matter by writing to the contractor, Bertllanz Engineering Limited, inquiring about the abandoned works at all three sites.
Onzu added that the contractor responded by promising to resume the construction work and finish the projects by April 15, 2024, but he has not yet even started on one of them to date.
Contractor faces blacklist
Onzu has threatened to blacklist all the contractors who fail to execute the projects within the contract period.
He disclosed that he is still patient on the issue, but after the promised period by the contractor elapses, he will submit the contractor to the public procurement and disposal authority for blacklisting due to failure to execute the projects within the contract period, yet he was paid the whole money.
Leaders speak out
In the same sitting, the Kihungya sub county chairperson, Mr. Kenneth Tumusiime, disclosed that he has written letters to several top offices, including IGG, but no help has been rendered, and yet the patients are still being attended to in unconducive structures.
The Kihungya Health Center III in-charge, Silvia Kamanyire, revealed that the health workers are operating in a small block at the facility that is currently being visited by a large number of patients following its elevation from Health Center II to Health Center III.
Kamaniyre told our reporter that the Ministry of Health supplied the health center with medical equipment to be used after being elevated to Health Center III, but they are lying idle at Kihungya Sub County Headquarters since there is no space at the health facility.
Bertllanz Engineering Limited was unreachable at the time of publishing this story.
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