By: Valentine Adese (JP),
The Management of Bleneson Service Nigeria Ltd, the contractor of the 22 LALONG’S LEGACY PROJECTS in Plateau State has described as scandalous, pre-judicial, sub-judice and laughable, the news of the re-awarding of the contract to a new contractor.
The Management of Bleneson has also questioned why the Plateau State Executive Council (EXCO) is attempting to approved the 22 LALONG’S LEGACY PROJECTS, costing the sum of N29 Billion and that has been completed up to 70% by its company to a new contractor for the sum of N26billion.
In an interview with Journalists after the news break that, the Plateau State Government, through the State Executive Committee (EXCO) has approved the re-awarding of the contract to Mssrs United Integrated Construction Company, The Managing Director of Bleneson Services Nig Ltd, Engr. Lawson Ngoa, explained that, the Plateau State Government has not terminated their contract and therefore has no right to re-award the same contract to another contractor.
Engineer Lawson added that, the projects cannot be re-awarded to a new contractor because there is a pending case before the court of law on the 22 projects.
He said, “Litigation is on between the state Government and the Contractor and also a case between the contractor and other sub-contractors as such it is not possible for the same project to be re-awarded”.
He further faulted the government for saying they were terminating or have terminated the contract on the grounds of non-performance after the Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong has been quoted in several fora and interviews saying the project was 70percent completed.
The Managing Director of Bleneson Services Nig Ltd, Engr. Lawson Ngoa, further said in part that, “If we have done 70percent like they say, what then will stop us from completing the project?”
“We don’t need to compound this issue, bringing in another contractor now when the main contractor is still alive and the case is still before the Court of Law, we will only compound the issues more, as bringing in the new contractor will amount to more litigation, and the more we go into litigation the more the projects will still not be done.
“This case is before the Court of Law and we have not been paid a dime by anyone, neither has anyone been sent to me nor approached me for settlement and there is no consent agreement made all through the one year that the case has been in Court”.
Engr. Lawson Ngoa however emphasized that, he was also in support that, the Lalong Legacy Project be completed as it was for the overall interest of the Plateau State citizens.
It is of note that, the 22 projects dubbed, “Lalong’s Legacy Projects” include 9 primary schools, 6 secondary schools and 6 hospitals, all of world-standard and located across the 17 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the State.
Facts are that, the Plateau State Commissioner of Information and Communication, Mr. Dan Manjay had in a News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) report during his visit to the Agency recently said and also attributed the delay in the completion of the 22 Lalong Legacy Projects to the ongoing litigation by the contractor.
Majang in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Jos, insisted that, the State Government would complete the projects before the end of the current administration.
He said for emphasis that, “The Lalong Legacy Projects consist of 22 infrastructural projects, which include modern primary and secondary schools, and hospitals, located all over the 17 Local government areas of the state.
“The projects, if completed will have direct bearing in the lives of the citizens of the state, particularly the rural dwellers”.
The Commissioner further explained that, the Bleneson Service Nigeria Ltd; the company executing the projects took the State Government to Court over alleged breach of contract.
Adding that, “We are not happy that these projects have not been completed; we are really worried.
“But it is not our making, because the Bleneson Service Nigeria Ltd; took the State Government to Court over the projects.
“And because the case is still in Court, we cannot do anything about the projects until the litigation is over and that’s the reason for the delay”.
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