Progress on the refurbishment of the Maun General Hospital remains stuck at 90% completion stage for over a year now, department of building and works has revealed.
Addressing the North West District full council meeting this week, Department of Building Works Development and Maintenance Area Officer Manager Othusitse Bethia revealed that the progress has remained stagnant since October 2021 owing to the contractor abandoning the site.
He said the main contractor has abandoned the site and shows no intentions of completing the works hence they recommended for the termination of the contract. He said the contractor has however failed to complete and handover buildings, which they call ‘sectional handover’ until the project is complete in order to reduce the burden for him to complete and handover the whole project.
“The contract has been recommended for termination since November 2022 and the notice to terminate has been with the Permanent Secretary’s office and procurement Oversight Unit since,” he said.
Other factors leading to delay is reported perpetual vandalism of already completed works and break-ins. Though there is a challenge of failure by contractors to complete the project, Bethia said they are faced with vandalism acts recently and mainly on air conditioning outdoor units of about six, copper pipes and isolators cables were stolen.
According to him, electrical installation works are complete except for data networking like phones (extensions), internet, nurse call system which the domestic subcontractors has some financial challenges to complete.
Bethia further revealed that minor building works are still outstanding; contractor has shown no commitment to complete the works even though he has been assisted with direct payment for materials.
Meanwhile BCP and BDP in the North West District Council (NWDC) councillors expressed disappointed on the delay of the project, and recently toppled the former NWDC Chairman, Kebareeditse Ntsogo and his deputy Lekonne Masoko through a motion, a move widely seen as a political revenge. This as Ntsogotho has just resigned from the BCP to remain a member of UDC.
