A newly constructed Junior High School block has finally been released and handed over to the local authorities after its seizure by a contractor in 2020.

The project, which is under the 'one million dollar, one constituency' initiative was constructed for the pupils of Teema in the Yunyoo-Nasuani District of the North East Region.

The block was pre-financed and completed within six months, and has since then been seized for more than three years due to disagreement between the contractor and the funding agency over some payment issues.

According to the contractor, the funding agency, Northern Development Authority (NDA), failed to pay him after the work was done which caused him to seize the building since its completion in 2020.

The contractor has agreed to temporarily release the facility which has now been commissioned following the intervention of the Member of Parliament (MP), Oscar Liwaal who assured him of payment.

According to the MP, the contractor has been assured of payment by the new Chief Executive Officer of the Northern Development Authority, Sulley Sambian.

“For the payment, it’s been assured and all documents leading to payment have been signed and documented, he’ll soon be paid,” he said.

The District Chief Executive in a handing over ceremony also gave further details to the situation

“To the best of my knowledge, we’re commissioning it now because the contractor was not paid, but we pleaded with him to exercise patience and hand over the completed part to us because we’re in dire need of the structure.”

“So we can continue using the structure and put things in place to ensure that his money is paid to him,” he mentioned.

The ceremony was attended by members of the Teema community including the chief and his elders as well as school children.

The Contractor has however threatened to close down the facility again in two weeks if the authorities fail to pay the money as promised.