Manafwa Health Centre contractor abandons site

Plans to upgrade Bukimanayi Health Centre II in Kaato Sub-county in Manafwa District, have run into trouble after the contractor abandoned the site.
Geomax Construction Engineering Service Ltd was early this year contracted by the Ministry of Health to construct a maternity ward and a theatre at the facility before it is upgraded to a health Centre III at a cost of Shs450m.
Earlier, Manafwa District officials wrote to the Ministry of Health requesting for the termination of the contract on grounds of shoddy work.

Officials speak out
The district Chief Administrative Officer, Mr Charles Otai, told Daily Monitor in a recent interview that the contractor had also failed to meet the entire obligation under the contract.
“We are aware that the contractor has abandoned the site and the district has already recommended termination of the contract and we are sourcing another local contractor to complete the facility in the shortest time,” he said.
Mr Christopher Kakala, the chairperson of the health management committee at the health centre, accused the contractor of incompetence.
“At some point, the contractor did not have construction materials because he was not paying the suppliers and workers. I knew he would at one point abandon the site,” he said.
Mr James Wambete, a resident of Bunamono Village, said the upgrading of the facility had given them a sigh of relief.
“We walk for more than 8kms to Bududa General Hospital so that we can get quality treatment for our loved ones, so we were happy when the government procured the contractor to upgrade the facility,” he, said.
However, Mr Paul Makheti, one of the site supervisors working for the construction company, denied the contractor abandoning the site.
“Who told you that we have abandoned the site? Those are lies,” he said before hanging up.
Our efforts to speak to Mr Francis Agaba, the Geomax Construction Engineering Service Ltd director, were also futile by press time.
Mr John Musila, the Manafwa District chairperson, however, said the project stalled because the contractor lacked the capacity to handle the job.
The Manafwa Resident District Commissioner, Mr Ahamada Washaki, however, blamed the shoddy work on the district leaders, saying they failed to supervise the works because they were compromised.
Mr Emmanuel Ainebyoona, the senior public relations officer, Ministry of Health, said it is the role of the local government to find out why the contractor abandoned the site.

Background

The job. The upgrading of the facility is in fulfilment of government’s pledge to ensure that each sub-county gets a health Centre III so that people get better health care services.
Service scope. The facility serves more than 40,000 people from the three districts of Manafwa, Bududa and Namisindwa.