The Sokoto state executive council while approving N4 billion to be spent on the construction of two healthy projects and one education project respectively, has also revoked five contracts that have been abandoned.
Four of the abandoned projects located at Murtala Muhammad Hospital, include the construction of two additional blocks of ward, landscaping of the hospital, construction of 47 staff quarters and the completion of a special work at the hospital which comprises of a theatre, mortuary, laundry and others.
Also revoked was the contract for the construction of a General Hospital at Wamakko town which was awarded since 2013.
The new projects billed for execution are: the construction of Premier Hospital Binji and the 608-bed capacity students hostels at Sultan Abdur-Rahman School of Health Technology, Gwadabawa and the construction of a similar two-storey hostel complex at Shehu Shagari College of Education (SSCOE).
These were the outcomes of the state executive council meeting chaired by Gov. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal.
Briefing newsmen after the session, the state Commissioner of Health, Dr Ali Inname and that of Higher education, Professor Bashir Garba, said the sum of over N2.7 billion has been approved for the construction of the Premier Hospital at Binji local government area, scheduled to be completed within 17 months.
Similar projects are already underway in Tambuwal and Sabon Birni local government areas.
The contract for the SSCOE will gulp the sum of over N524 million while that of Sultan Abdul Rahman School of Health Technology, Gwadabawa will gulp over N523 million. Both are expected to be completed in nine months.
In each of the hostels in SSCOE and Gwadabawa, each floor will have 24 toilet facilities, kitchens and laundry. There will also be provision for solar lightening system borehole with overhead tanks among others.
Explaining why the Murtala Muhammad Hospital contracts were cancelled, Dr Inname said it was due to the abandonment of the works by the contractors.
He said due process will be followed in re-awarding the contracts to more dedicated contractors.
On the reversal of the contract for Wamakko General Hospital, the Commissioner for Health said it has since been awarded to another company.
