Jos, Feb. 28, 2020 The Plateau Commissioner of Information and Communication, Mr Dan Manjang has said that the remodeling of the Nigeria Union Journalists (NUJ) Secretariat would be completed before the start of the raining season.
Our coresspondent reports that the State Government had in 2019 awarded the contract for the remodeling of the secretariat worth N33.9 million.
The project commenced on Dec. 22, 2019, but the contractor later stopped work and left site.
Manjang, who led officials of the ministry to an on- the- spot assessment tour of the project on Friday, gave assurances that the contractor would soon return to site.
“The most important thing is that you start the project, and where we have gotten, we can only continue now.
“As for the funding, you know there are different projects that are competing for finances in the state.
“As far as the Gov. Simon Lalong-led administration is concerned, the project is as good as done.
“I am giving you the assurance that the certificates that have not been paid for, we will pursue them earnestly and ensure that they are secured.
“I am sure that the necessary directives will be given by the governor, so that the necessary implementations will take effect as soon as possible.
“We know that the rains are coming and I can assure you that the structures will be ready before the rains. ” he assured.
He promised to liaise with his housing counterpart to ensure that the project properly executed.
“I will inform the governor and as you are aware, he doesn’t joke with gentlemen of the press.
“It will not stop with the remodeling because I have seen a project that has been started by the NUJ and we will appeal to the governor to acknowledge the participation of the union, after the completion of the ongoing one,” he added.
Mr Paul Jatau, the state NUJ chairman thanked the commissioner for the visit and appealed for quick intervention to ensure that the contractor returned to site.
Jatau said that the contract had an initial completion period of 12 weeks, but that the contractor stopped work for over three weeks citing the non availability of the outstanding certificates.
He told the commissioner that many journalists have been displaced because of the ongoing remodeling.
“Journalists that don’t have offices at their organisations normally operate from the press centre.
“We are appealing to the state government to release funds to the contractor to return to site so that the project will be completed in time,” he appealed.
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