We shall not pay substandard projects, World Bank project engineer warns
USMID and other officials inspect some of the road projects in Kiryandongo District. Photo / Courtesy
What you need to know:
- The warning comes just a few months to the end of the $360m USMID project, which is expected to close in December
A senior engineer with the Uganda Support to Municipality Infrastructure Development Additional Financing (USMID) programme under the World Bank has warned that shoddy projects risk not to be commissioned and later on not paid.
The warning comes just a few months to the end of the $360m USMID project, which is expected to close in December.
Various projects, which include road works, upgrading and construction of markets and community centres, among others, are being implemented in at least 30 districts across the country.
Speaking during inspection of the Shs14b USMID projects in Kiryandongo District, Ms Olive Nalugo, a USMID senior engineer, said all contractors in the 30 districts working on various projects must ensure that they meet agreed work standards, failure of which the projects will not be commissioned or paid.
“I want to tell all contractors in the districts where we are implementing projects that we shall not commission or pay substandard works. We want works that meet agreed standards,” she said, challenging benefiting communities to take care completed projects and ensure that they use them to better their lives both in the short and long term.
Ms Nalugo also challenged benefiting communities to take interest ensuring that projects are developed according to agreed standards so as to avoid wasting time with substandard projects.
Projects under USMID have previously encountered challenges with contractors failing to complete works within agreed timelines, while others have failed to meet agreed standards.
However, commissioning such projects has sometimes been delayed, which in the end becomes costly and time wasting.
According to Mr Emmanuel Nyonzima, the Kiryandongo District engineer, they received more than Shs14b to work on various roads, in addition to construction a two pitches – one for football and another for netball.
However, the district authorities, it was found, are yet to secure titles for land on which the two pitches are being constructed.
Mr Gonzaga Mayanja, the Commissioner of Monitoring and Evaluation in the Office of the Prime Minister, said it was important that the district authorities secure the land titles to avoid any disturbances that might crop up.
Some of the roads have been opened, while works on others are still on going.
The project, which is a partnership between USMID and government seek to improve infrastructure and service delivery in municipalities, especially those that host refugees.
