THE Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC) has directed the contractor handing the construction of Enugu State Command complex of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to complete and hand over the project before end of 2019.

The Head of Policy and Standards of FRC, Mr Alex Elikwu, gave the directive after leading a team to inspect the ongoing project along Enugu-Abakaliki Road, precisely in Emene near Enugu on Wednesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the one-storey complex project, being handled by Motion Nigeria Ltd., begun on May 29, 2018, and is expected to be completed within 18 months at the cost of N153.18 million.

Elikwu told NAN that, just like in most Federal Government awarded contracts; government had been up-to-date in its payment schedule for the contract.

He said that the contract had been prioritised and given utmost attention notwithstanding the limited resources available to the Federal Government.

“The Federal Government is mandating the contractor here to ensure immigration service move to this permanent site in Enugu this year.

“We have been at the service temporary site, which is at the Federal Secretariat.

“But, we believe that this complex when completed and handed over will tremendously improve their work and the image of immigration service in the state and South-East,’’ he said.

The FRC chief, however, lauded the contractor and his supervisor for the quality of work done, and for sticking to the laid down specifications for the project.

Speaking, Mr Simon Tanko, the Team Leader of NIS Committee Supervising the project, said that the contractor was mobilised in April and commenced work on May 29, 2018.

Tanko said that since then, the committee had been monitoring the work being done by the contractor to ensure it tallies with what was contained in the bill-of-quantity and the specification designed for the project.

“The contractor, Motion Nigeria Ltd., has been up and doing and the job is about 80 per cent completed already.

“The contractor, after initial mobilisation fee, has applied for payment certificates, and the Federal Government has issued him three payment certificates already.

“This means that payment or money is never a problem in this contract and it has been moving on smoothly,’’ he said.

According to him, l believe that the contractor will hand over the complex to NIS this year for use since the project is running at its normal duration with about six months left.

NAN learnt that the remaining work at the complex included electrical wiring, tiling, painting, landscaping of the environment and fencing. (NAN)
– Apr. 10, 2019 @ 18:19 GMT |