By: Adolf Kaure

The government has the prerogative to replace non-performing contractors and reassign the projects to public entities, like August 26.

Ministry of Health and Social Services executive director Ben Nangombe said this after delays in the completion of Swakopmund District Hospital’s neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

The initial contractor was awarded the construction job in November 2020, with a scheduled completion date of February 2022. However, the government cancelled the contract due to delays and reassigned the project to August 26 to expedite its completion.

Nangombe stated that if projects are delayed, the public is denied of services.

” In this particular case, we are denying services to the babies born with congenital illnesses. Now it is two years later, the project is not yet finished. So SMEs must do what they must do, to complete the project. If not, we will not shy from cancelling these contracts and bringing on board entities that can finish the projects,” remarked Nangombe.

He said the completion of the neonatal ICU facility will benefit the inhabitants of the Kunene and Erongo regions.

Furthermore, Nangombe said that more neonatal ICU facilities will be constructed across the country to decentralise services for newborn babies.

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