Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has given erring contractors handling parts of the LagosHoms, Sangotedo in Eti-Osa one week to improve the level of work or have their contracts terminated.
Sanwo-Olu gave the deadline on Friday when he inspected the housing project to assess the pace of the construction work.
He said that work on Phase 1 was 90 per cent completed, while contractors handling Phase 2 were working haphazardly.
Sanwo-Olu, however, said that hopefully, Phase 1 of the housing project would be completed and handed over in the next six weeks.
The governor then urged contractors handling Phase 2 to speed up work and ensure they finished work in nine months.
“As far as I know, government owes no one, but if we owe you, we will pay in one month. Erring contractors have one week to speed up work.
“The Ministries of Housing and Works and Infrastructure would be back in one week to inspect and if there are no changes, your contract will be terminated and you will face prosecution.
“I have not come here to turn you away, but to make peace and restitution. For those contractors still working, we will wait for another four more weeks for extensive clean-up before we finally commission the project,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu mandated the contractors to finish up the 744 flats being developed in Phase 1 of the housing project by the end of October.
The project, sited on 16.9 hectares, took off in 2012. It was revived by the Sanwo-Olu administration. The first scheme of the project has 62 blocks of 12 flats each, while the second scheme has 32 blocks of 444 flats.
“I commend all contractors that have worked tirelessly to push through; I understand this has been a very difficult project.
“We have been working night and day, trying to deliver the project. We want to be fair to every contractor and we appreciate those who have shown real resilience and commitment.
“I use this opportunity to give a stern warning to erring contractors slowing down the project. It doesn’t matter who you know, I am not going to tolerate this tardiness any longer.
“I will give you one week to scale up work on the project. If there is no appreciable improvement, not only are we going to terminate those erring contracts, we will also prosecute them,” he said.
The governor pointed out that there was no reason for the contractors to delay the project and postpone deadlines, as the state government had fulfilled financial obligations in the contract.
Present at the inspection were three Commissioners; Fatai Akinderu (Housing); Idris Salako (Physical Planning and Urban Development); Tunji Bello (Environment) and Special Adviser on Works and Infrastructure, Mrs Aramide Adeyoye, among others.
