By Daniel Tyokua
The Chairman of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) Christopher Maikalangu, has called on the residents to report any underperforming contractor to his office.
He said his administration will not accept substandard work from contractors handling the council’s projects, especially roads.
Maikàlangu stated this while inspecting several completed and ongoing projects across communities in the council on Thursday.
The chairman expressed satisfaction with most of the projects and called on community members to monitor construction processes to ensure contractors adhere to quality standards.
Maikàlangu inspected the renovation of seven classrooms at LEA Primary school Garki, and promised the addition of 10 new teachers by the end of February to address the school’s staffing shortage. “This gesture is to encourage learning activities,” he said.
Kasmin Jilbrin Karshi, the head teacher, expressed gratitude for the renovation, noting that the school no longer faces challenges such as students sitting on the floor. However, he emphasized the need for more teachers to support learning.
In Garki Primary Healthcare Center, the chairman inspected an additional block to the facility and solar lights that have improved nighttime service delivery. The Officer in Charge, Mrs. Monica Victor Jacob, commended the improvements, noting that women now give birth seamlessly at night due to the solar lighting.
At Durumi 3, Maikalangu inspected the construction of a new Primary Healthcare Center and expressed dissatisfaction with the contractor’s use of inferior ceilings in a three-classroom block project. He ordered immediate replacement with modern ceilings.
The chairman visited several road projects, including the completed 2.4 km Gosa Road and the ongoing 2 km Lugbe Road, all equipped with dual drainage systems. In Toge, he inspected a completed 1.5 km road, while in Waru, the ongoing Waru-Yimitu Road project spanned two phases totaling 2.5 km.
Nuhu Aota from Gosa praised Maikalangu for the road projects, stating that the improved infrastructure has boosted economic activities in the community. “We were used to dust and quagmire, but now we have tarred roads and streetlights. Maikalangu is truly a man of the people,” he said.
At Pyakasa, Maikalangu supervised the construction of a town hall and inspected a healthcare center and a transformer provided to the Kakwa Pyakasa community. Chief James Shekwagu, the Dakachi of Kakwa Pyakasa, lauded the chairman for these interventions but appealed for his support in resolving a road access issue involving the Abuja Technology Village.
Addressing the media at Sabo Lugbe, Maikalangu emphasized the importance of community participation in ensuring quality projects. “If you see a contractor using substandard materials, report to me. We expect value for money, and I won’t tolerate substandard work after millions have been paid to contractors,” he said.
The AMAC chairman stated that the projects were deliberately sited in rural communities to improve accessibility and quality of life. He urged community members to support his administration in delivering impactful projects and pledged to continue working for the benefit of the people.
Maikalangu’s inspection tour highlighted his administration’s focus on education, healthcare, and infrastructure development, earning him widespread praise from community members who expressed their readiness to reelect him for a second term.
