Deliver quality jobs, minister orders contractors

The Minister of state for Housing, Works and Power, Alhaji Mustapha Baba Shehuri has ordered contractors handling the national housing project in Lokoja, Kogi, to deliver quality jobs.

Shehuri who made the order on Sunday in Lokoja while inspecting the housing project insisted that high-quality building materials must be used by the contractors.

He warned them that the Federal Government would not accept shoddy jobs from any of them.

He also directed that bricklayers, labourers and other artisans working on the site must be paid well.

He said that government embarked on the project to reduce housing deficit and to create jobs for the people.

Shehuri said that the houses would be sold to any interested Nigerian that could afford the cost, saying that the houses were not meant for civil servants alone as being speculated in some quarters.

The minister expressed satisfaction with the level of the job done so far and urged the contractors to meet up with the five months’ completion period stipulated in their contract papers.

The Federal Controller of Housing in charge of Kogi State, Mrs Veronica Enesi, while conducting the minister round the site said that 76 housing units under the first phase of the project would be ready by July.

She said that the estate would comprise of 48 two-bedroom units, 24 three – bedroom units and four one bedroom units.

According to her, modern facilities like shopping centre, police station, drainage system, road network and electricity would be provided in the estate.

Chief Judy Ogbuo, who spoke on behalf of the contractors, thanked the government for giving them the opportunity to handle the jobs.

He identified delay in payment and bill of quantity as some of the areas they were having challenges.

He promised that the contractors would deliver quality jobs as ordered by the minister.