SW contractors urged to be cautious in bidding

The call was made recently by Honourable Ngalle Daniel, Chairperson of the Ndian Divisional Follow-up Committee during the second meeting to discuss the level of implementation of the 2015 Public Investment Budget, PIB.

The meeting took place in Mundemba, headquarters of Ndian Division in the South West Region. Responding to why a lot of projects are abandoned in Ndian, the Divisional Delegate of Public Contracts, Aka Martin Cyoga, said most contractors do not visit sites before tendering for contracts.

As a result, lack of good knowledge of the topography and site of projects results in poor bids and bad work at the end. Aka Martin reiterated that the lowest bidder phenomenon in a terrain as difficult as Ndian should be considered with a lot of caution because many unscrupulous contractors go for projects without considering the reality of the landscape. And when they finally find out the truth, they abandon work.

Consequently, Hon. Ngalle requested Bissa Fabrice, the First Assistant SDO, who represented his boss, to see to it that culprits are called to book. In response, Bissa told committee members that Ndian administrative authorities have been putting in place every necessary measure to ensure that culprits are tracked down and adequately punished by the law.

The Secretary of the Follow-up Committee, Nyobe Gabriel, who is also the Divisional Delegate of Economy, Planning and Regional Development, presented a technical report of the situation on the field. His report revealed that Ndian has witnessed an improvement in project execution rate as opposed to same period last year.

To back this revelation, Nyobe Gabriel stated that the general execution rate as at July 2015 stood at 36.2 per cent, as against 28.62 per cent last year. The report further revealed that the Division is notorious for abandoning projects.

The point was buttressed with evidence of 19 uncompleted projects still hanging in various localities within the Division dating to 2013 and 2014.

Hon. Ngalle called on all committee members not to limit their duties to attending follow-up meetings, but that they should extend their concern to ensuring the actual execution of PIB in the Division. He went ahead to request all members to work in synergy for the common interest and development of Ndian.