Ndalatando - The Attorney General's Office (PGR) in Cuanza Norte province has said it is investigating the contractors of the works included in the Integrated Plan for Intervention in Municipalities (PIIM) who did not fulfill the contract deadlines, with the aim to hold them accountable.
The information was disclosed to ANGOP on Wednesday by the deputy attorney general of the Republic in Cuanza Norte, Maria Joaquina Matias Pedro, adding that a close attention is being paid to works that are currently halt by oversee teams assessing the level of execution of the contracts in various municipalities of the province.
The enquiries will help investigate signs of embezzlement on the part of civil servants, who are alleged to have colluded with business people carrying out work under the PIIM, and the consequent accountability of those involved.
Maria Pedro, who was coy on any figures, said the PGR has already notified several businesspeople over the past two years and triggered several conciliation attempts.
According to the magistrate, although it is not a criminal offence, failure to meet contractual deadlines is liable to civil action for the damage caused to the owner of the work, and it is up to the affected institution to go to the PGR and express their desire to open proceedings against the contractors.
According to the magistrate, it has been noted in some contracts that the physical execution levels are higher than the financial ones.
In these cases, the magistrate said, the responsibility for non-compliance should be attributed to the owner of the work, who may not be honoring payments.
Cuanza Norte province has 61 projects under implementation in the 10 municipalities included in the PIIM, with more than 83 percent physically completed and 66 percent financially.
In total, the province has been awarded 86 actions, valued at 27.5 billion kwanzas, in the areas of education, health, communication routes, infrastructure, basic sanitation, energy, security and public works. DS/IMA/ART/TED/AMP
