Tax Payers’ Money In Limbo…FCC Administrative Building Turns Death
Staff members of the Freetown City Council practically have their hearts in their mouths this rain season as the two storey building which was constructed nearly two years ago has turned into a death trap.
The ‘new’ building which was constructed during the tenure of Mayor Herbert George Williams and his Chief Administrator Bowson Philips currently displays numerous cracks from within and without. Most of the windows are in a deplorable state while the floor tiles have been uprooted making it extremely difficult for one to take a smooth walk to any of the offices. Rust has overtaken the railing especially the top floor of the building which can fall at any time from now. The roof leaks profusely leading to the destruction of document belonging to the Validation department. Toilets are in deplorable state due to lack of water supply, improper electrification has left half of the offices in the building without power. The air conditioners work intermittently, more off than on, causing serious flood in some of the offices.
This situation has left staff that are occupying that building in a quandary thinking what their fate will be in the next few days as more rains are expected. “For us to use the toilet we have to wait for the rains to come, the Administration only bought tanks without proper planning for the supply of water,” said a senior staff member who pleaded for anonymity.
Most of the staff spoken to said they were expecting a turn around long before now but the situation is going from bad to worse.
Another thing that worries the staff is the embarrassment visitor face whenever it rains heavily. Before anyone could access the building to do their transactions they would have become soaked to the bones.
SALONE TIMES learnt that senior engineers condemned the building from the onset. According to them most of the materials used are substandard.
One deep secret about the construction of the building is the amount of money spent. SALONE TIMES learnt that about hundreds of millions of Leone was spent. The auditor sent by the Auditor-General to audit Freetown City Council condemned the building and questioned the amount spent.
When contacted FCC Chief Administrator who also doubles as Chairman of the Local Technical Planning Committee Bowenson Philips according to the subsection (1) of section 85, of the 2004 local Government Act failed to respond to SALONE TIMES but referred us to the City Engineer F. Garber a Civil Industrial Engineer specialized in Technology and Financial Management. He said the building was not constructed by him nether did he serve as supervisor during the construction. “As an Engineer the cracks you are seeing are not structural cracks, they are as a result of heavy handling,” he said. He quickly denied having any knowledge on the cost of the construction of the building “the cost is not part of my work.”
He went on to say that the tiles are being uprooted due to the poor mixture.
”The railings only develop rust and demand extra painting,” he said defensively.
On the leakages there was no defense as they were very visible.
“But the light is a general fault from the National Power Authority when you put on the generator, one side will be powered while the others will not.” He also said that the toilets have recently been fixed. This was denied by some staff members.
The question on many lips now is how can a City Engineer can be at that council without being involved in any form to the construction of Council building but to only told to occupy one room as office in that building?
The construction of that building did not go through the Procurement process as the case should be.
Most staff said FCC is facing difficulty today due to the bad administration put on by the Chief Administrator. They went on to say the they expected much from the C.A. according to them he start to work in that council as a Committee Clark and rose to his current position “He should be the one to advised the Mayor on what should be done than to destroyed him this way,” one aggrieved staff said.
By law, the staff went on the Local Council Chief Administrator shall be responsible to and subject to the general directions of the local council but that he said is not working at the FCC as the C.A is doing what pleases him and what will benefit him personally.
Local Government Act 2004 No PART VII–FINANCIAL MATTERS 45. (2) Stated that Local councils shall make adequate efforts to collect revenues from their own sources. and (4) state that Local council revenue sources shall comprise-(a) precepts from local taxes;(b) property rates;(c) licences;(d) fees and charges;(e) share of mining revenues;(f) interests and dividends; and(g) any other revenue due to the Government but assigned to local councils by the Minister responsible for finance by statutory instrument. This clearly shows that the taxpayers’ money is running down the drain for such project which will cost another millions of Leone to repairs. “Are you her to complement us for the build?” the C.A asked.
The ‘new’ building which was constructed during the tenure of Mayor Herbert George Williams and his Chief Administrator Bowson Philips currently displays numerous cracks from within and without. Most of the windows are in a deplorable state while the floor tiles have been uprooted making it extremely difficult for one to take a smooth walk to any of the offices. Rust has overtaken the railing especially the top floor of the building which can fall at any time from now. The roof leaks profusely leading to the destruction of document belonging to the Validation department. Toilets are in deplorable state due to lack of water supply, improper electrification has left half of the offices in the building without power. The air conditioners work intermittently, more off than on, causing serious flood in some of the offices.
This situation has left staff that are occupying that building in a quandary thinking what their fate will be in the next few days as more rains are expected. “For us to use the toilet we have to wait for the rains to come, the Administration only bought tanks without proper planning for the supply of water,” said a senior staff member who pleaded for anonymity.
Most of the staff spoken to said they were expecting a turn around long before now but the situation is going from bad to worse.
Another thing that worries the staff is the embarrassment visitor face whenever it rains heavily. Before anyone could access the building to do their transactions they would have become soaked to the bones.
SALONE TIMES learnt that senior engineers condemned the building from the onset. According to them most of the materials used are substandard.
One deep secret about the construction of the building is the amount of money spent. SALONE TIMES learnt that about hundreds of millions of Leone was spent. The auditor sent by the Auditor-General to audit Freetown City Council condemned the building and questioned the amount spent.
When contacted FCC Chief Administrator who also doubles as Chairman of the Local Technical Planning Committee Bowenson Philips according to the subsection (1) of section 85, of the 2004 local Government Act failed to respond to SALONE TIMES but referred us to the City Engineer F. Garber a Civil Industrial Engineer specialized in Technology and Financial Management. He said the building was not constructed by him nether did he serve as supervisor during the construction. “As an Engineer the cracks you are seeing are not structural cracks, they are as a result of heavy handling,” he said. He quickly denied having any knowledge on the cost of the construction of the building “the cost is not part of my work.”
He went on to say that the tiles are being uprooted due to the poor mixture.
”The railings only develop rust and demand extra painting,” he said defensively.
On the leakages there was no defense as they were very visible.
“But the light is a general fault from the National Power Authority when you put on the generator, one side will be powered while the others will not.” He also said that the toilets have recently been fixed. This was denied by some staff members.
The question on many lips now is how can a City Engineer can be at that council without being involved in any form to the construction of Council building but to only told to occupy one room as office in that building?
The construction of that building did not go through the Procurement process as the case should be.
Most staff said FCC is facing difficulty today due to the bad administration put on by the Chief Administrator. They went on to say the they expected much from the C.A. according to them he start to work in that council as a Committee Clark and rose to his current position “He should be the one to advised the Mayor on what should be done than to destroyed him this way,” one aggrieved staff said.
By law, the staff went on the Local Council Chief Administrator shall be responsible to and subject to the general directions of the local council but that he said is not working at the FCC as the C.A is doing what pleases him and what will benefit him personally.
Local Government Act 2004 No PART VII–FINANCIAL MATTERS 45. (2) Stated that Local councils shall make adequate efforts to collect revenues from their own sources. and (4) state that Local council revenue sources shall comprise-(a) precepts from local taxes;(b) property rates;(c) licences;(d) fees and charges;(e) share of mining revenues;(f) interests and dividends; and(g) any other revenue due to the Government but assigned to local councils by the Minister responsible for finance by statutory instrument. This clearly shows that the taxpayers’ money is running down the drain for such project which will cost another millions of Leone to repairs. “Are you her to complement us for the build?” the C.A asked.
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