IGG gives contractor two weeks to finish works

Deputy Inspector General of Government (IGG) Patricia Achan Okiria has given Waguma Contractors Ltd up to two weeks to complete contract works at Keirungu Primary School in Rugaga Town Council, Isingiro District.

Ms Okiria gave the directive on Wednesday during an alternative dispute resolution meeting between the contractor and Isingiro District local government at Keirungu Primary School.

“I have given you up to two weeks to see the remaining works on this contract completed. We cannot have innocent children suffer and risk their lives by studying in condemned and dilapidated buildings,” she said.

Ms Okiria said her office received complaints about this contract over a year ago and her team did technical assessment. 

“The contract was abandoned when [the works] were 93 percent complete. There was less work remaining. The process of cancelling this contract, and litigation would take a long time yet pupils are suffering. That is why we have opted for an arbitration to see this issue is resolved amicably,” she said.

Mr Patrick Waguma, the director of Waguma Contractors Ltd, said he abandoned the works after learning that  Isingiro District subcontracted another company to do environment and social safety safeguards without his knowledge.

“I signed a contract of Shs494 million but along the way I learnt that another company had been subcontracted and over Shs20 million had been withdrawn from the total sum of my contract. They did not explain to me why and I had to abandon the work,” Mr Waguma said.

The Isingiro Chief Administrative Officer, Ms Alice Asiimwe, accused Mr Waguma of ignoring some of the contact clauses that stated that environment and social safeguards were to be executed by another company.

“The problem is that the contractor possibly signed the contract without understanding some of the clauses, we tried to engage him and explain some of these things but he refused and instead abandoned the works,” said Ms Asiimwe.

After the arbitration meeting, Mr Waguma promised the IGG that he would make sure that the works are completed.

The district engineer, Mr Asaph Abeneitwe, said the remaining works include fixing some furniture, glasses, cupboards, the verandah and floor.

The Shs494 million contract involved construction of three-stance pit-latrines, eight classrooms, supply of furniture and water tanks.