Member of Parliament have on Tuesday April 26th 2022, questioned and reject the substandard rehabilitation of the main Parliament Building at Tower Hill in Freetown.
The cost of the entire project is one million, one hundred and ninety-two thousand, five hundred and forty-nine dollars (US$1,192,549). UNOPS funded the rehabilitation of the project. The leadership of parliament had invited president Julius Maada Bio to commission the project but it has been cancelled due to the substandard work done by the contractor.
Members of Parliament have called for an investigation on how the project was awarded and implemented. Members of the Works and Housing Committee chaired by Hon. Bashiru Silikile are expected to submit their findings to the House within two weeks after the state opening of Parliament.
Hon. Bashiru Silikile said Parliament need to verify the specification of contract, including the rehabilitation within the offices and the building. He said as Deputy Leader of Government Business, he has no details of the rehabilitation project.
The Leader of Government Business, Hon. Matthew Sahr Nyuma said they are not in line with Section 118 of the Constitution, stating that grants and loans need to be tabled in Parliament for approval. He pointed out that the rehabilitation was not tabled in Parliament.
Hon. Musa Fofana said donor partners will report to their headquarters that they have spent millions of United State dollars on the rehabilitation of Parliament in Sierra Leone. He emphasized that the timber the contractor used on the walkway is also substandard. He said they need to present to Parliament what is in the budget. He referred to the job as substandard.
New Vision Newspaper reports that, Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Dr. Abass Chernor Bundu affirmed the work done in his office by the UNOPs contractor. He said he supported the investigation raised by the MPs, and called on them to present their findings to the house within two weeks after the state opening of parliament.
Comment(s)
Disclaimer: Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Sierraloaded or any employee thereof.
Be the first to comment