FCTA To Blacklist Defaulting Streetlight Contractors

Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) through the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC) has expressed disappointment at streetlight contractors over their failure to keep to the terms of the contract, insisting that it will not renew any contractual relationship with any defaulting companies.

The coordinator of AMMC, Chief Felix Obuah, who gave the warning in Abuja while briefing journalists on the issues that affect Abuja’s streetlights and the continued darkness in almost all the districts, also vowed that the FCTA will never pay any contractor for causing perpetual darkness in Abuja.

Obuah lamented that the FCT administration considered some companies, and gave them contracts for the maintenance and security of the streetlights, but they abandoned the terms of the contract.

The coordinator who expressed concern over the non functional streetlights in Abuja said that the administration will never consider defaulting companies for any job, especially those who have contributed to the pervading darkness in Abuja’s streets, due to incompetence.

According to him, he had taken a tour of most of the districts and observed an alarming situation where the lights were not functioning and some of the infrastructures had been vandalised.

“I am not impressed with the way you have handled the maintenance and security aspects of these contracts. I am aware that this contract is for the maintenance and security of street lights.

“But I have personally moved around your areas of operation and I can say that the city is dark, that is to say, that the request for your payment has been processed and done, yet your work is not being done perfectly as agreed.

“Why must we continue to patronise and pay you when the job is not being done? This is unacceptable. Why must we complain about security and vandalisation? You have to provide security to guide the facilities. If the bulbs are dead, it is your duty to replace them,” he said.

He stressed that from what they are seeing presently, the administration does not think any of the contractors are living up to the agreement they have entered with AMMC.

“That is why I have called you to let us know what the problems are. If there are areas we feel we can come in, we will. But if we continue like this, I can tell you we do not care.

“We will blacklist the contractor and if you have even applied, we will make sure that you do not get it. Then we will get a contractor who can do the job because we can see that this I-don’t-care attitude some contractors have taken is not safe.

“I am not interested in pulling anybody, I am more interested in the job to be done. I want to assure those of you who are ready to partner with us, that we will make sure that we do not stop supporting and working as a team,” he said.