Chinese Firm asks for more time as half Work Done

China Hennan International Company (CHICO), the Chinese firm that has been contracted to undertake multimillion shillings road works within Gulu Municipality has asked for more time after it failed to complete the contract within the agreed period.

In August 2014, CHICO signed a 12- month contract with Gulu Municipal Council to upgrade Cemetery road, Labour line road, Acholi Lane, Alokolum Road, and Ring road.

But close to eleven months into the Shs9 billion road project, only 60 percent of the works on the 10 kilometers has been partially completed.

Mr Charles Moro, the Human Resource Officer for CHICO admitted on Tuesday that they encountered a lot of challenges at the onset of the project.

Moro explained that when the project kicked-off, there were setbacks such as relocation of utilities such as optic fibers, electric poles, sewerages and piped water lines.

“The redesign of the roads has also caused real problems because the previous design was not fitting with the current size of the road,” Moro said.

Other factors were the rainy season and compensation of those affected by the road works.

Moro says they have written to their client (Gulu Municipal Council) seeking for an extension of the contract by another two more months in order to enable them to complete works awarded to the company.

The Deputy Town Clerk, Mr John Oola confirmed that they have received a request from CHICO and are looking into it for consideration.

“Despite the delays, the contractor has done significant work since May when the actual works begun,” Oola said.

However, Mr George Aligech Lapir, the President Gulu Municipal Development Forum (GMDF) criticized the speed at which the road works have been undertaken describing it as unpleasant.

Lapir noted that with only four weeks for the project to expire, there are still a lot of works to be done.

Mr Gabindadde – Musoke, the Permanent Secretary under the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development who toured the roads under rehabilitation on Tuesday said he was not impressed with the current pace of work by the company.

He however, gave a green light to Gulu Municipal Council officials to extend the contract period in order to enable CHICO finish the current works.

The Permanent Secretary also emphasized on quality saying it will enable the country to benefit from external funding in the future due to good performances.

Currently, 14 municipalities in the country are benefiting under the infrastructural development which is being funded by the World Bank through the government of Uganda under the Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development (USMID) project.