Road Construction Contract Terminated

This article was last updated on May 25, 2022

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The Transport and Roads Minister, Charles Lokonoi Ambrose says the company has been linked with a scandal as being portrayed by its incompetence to construct the road.

Lokonoi revealed that the company was awarded numerous contracts to undertake in good faith by it has failed to live up to the expectation as most of the contracts awarded have not been finished citing the 48 km Torit-Magwi road (SSP 9 Million), Kiyala-Tseretenya road (about SSP 20 Million) and Kapoeta-Loriyok road (SSP 46.5 Million).

The minister says that Macdowell only managed to clear road bushes on the 48 km Torit-Magwi.

“We told the company that if you are not complete enough you better surrender. But to our surprise the company did not heed to our advice and instead went ahead, as result, the Torit-Magwi road has now been delayed since last year as if there has been no any agreement between the Government and a company to do the work,” said Lokonoi.

Yesterday, the parliament also discussed the fate of the company and directed the Committee of Physical Infrastructure, Roads and Transport to considerably study the issue and present the report before the house.

The general public has complained to the state government against any contract given to the embattled company since it has proven weak.

The minister says the company is cheaper in comparison of other companies and confirms that the State Legislative Assembly is reviewing on whether to terminate all the company’s ongoing road contracts in the state because of poor performance.

In August 2012, the Assembly’s Speaker, Hon. Emmanuel Ambrose Ocholimoi told the said the Assembly was seeking legal advice on the implications of terminating contracts undertaken by the McDowell Company which range from roads, bridges and culverts.

He said the legal advisors had 90 days to consult the National Ministries of Roads & Bridges, Justice and Housing on how the matter as far as McDowell Company is concerned could be resolved in relation to its contracts’ suspension.

The State Speaker revealed that many institutions in the state wrote petition letters on the McDowell for its poor performance asking the state parliament to take appropriate step on the matter.

Some officials have revealed that the Parliament will decide whether to terminate or blacklist the company or not but chances to cease its contracts in the state are high.

Despite the ongoing criticisms, the company substantially built the newly constructed State Secretariat General building which is ready to be occupied the governor alongside state government secretariat staff.

The present building of the State Ministry of Education Headquarters in Torit was constructed by the company at a cost of 3 Million US Dollars and took 19 months to complete, according to the former Education Minister, Francis Ben Ataba who is now at the national assembly.