COVID-19 Funds Scandal in Maputo Province: Four Contractors Paid but Failed to Complete Projects
In a recent development highlighting contract breaches in public works during the COVID-19 funds diversion era, four contractors in Maputo Province, Mozambique, failed to execute assigned construction projects. These projects, contracted by the Provincial Directorate of Education in Maputo, involved the construction of mixed-use rooms and handwashing stations.
Out of the 246 planned handwashing points, only 22 were constructed due to the non-compliance of these four contractors, who were among a total of five selected for the task.
The Provincial Directorate of Education in Maputo allocated a budget of over 12 million Mozambican meticais for the construction of these handwashing points.
In terms of budget, the Directorate reported receiving just over 101 million meticais from the COVID-19 fund. Approximately 55 million meticais of this amount were directly managed by the Directorate, intended for the construction of mixed-use rooms and handwashing stations.
The plan initially included the construction of 46 mixed-use rooms, of which 40 have been completed and the remaining six are nearing completion, at a cost of over 43 million meticais.
With the contractors failing to carry out the construction of the handwashing points, the Provincial Directorate of Education in Maputo has reported the matter to the Attorney General's Office.
The statement from the Provincial Directorate of Education in Maputo was made to STV in the context of a report by the Administrative Tribunal denouncing the misuse of funds disbursed during the COVID-19 period.
TORRE
