By Daniel Tyokua
The Minister of Works, David Umahi has given conditions for payment of contractors handling projects cross the country.
He said all contractors must present calculation, sketches, site joint measurements, variation site instructions, geo-technical report and joint site evaluation report.
Umahi announced this on Wednesday, in a statement he personally signed and made available to journalists.
The Minister, who said the new policy was arrived at after several meetings with directors in the Ministry, revealed that all project sites must be visited before payment.
He also barred all state controllers from being resident engineers with effect from October 1st, 2023.
According to him, all projects must have resident engineers, which the cost must be made know to him before engagement.
Umahi directed the permanent secretary of Works to immediately get all directors and staff to rework pending memos following the new policy and bring back for discussions.
The Minister said he was not against variation of prices and contract augmentation but the requisite conditions must be met.
“I must know the cost before engagement . I will not honour any paper again where there is no Resident Engineer from 1/10/23. State controllers are barred from being resident engineers.
“I am not against variation on prices and contract augmentation but I want to be shown in calculation, sketches, site joint measurements, variation site instructions, geo-technical report and joint site evaluation report.
“I have had meetings severally with Ministry of Works directors but it seems they have not understood this new policy or they are not interested.
“We can not stay in office and issue out payments to contractors without visiting site or having knowledge of what is happening at site. In the circumstance the following procedure must be followed” he said.
