The Kwara State Government has asked Crystal Group owned by Hon. Moshood Mustapha to come and remodel and reconstruct Kwara Hotel for N3bn provided it will follow the specifications in the government’s bill of quantities (BOQ).
The challenge, contained in a letter exclusively obtained by The Informant247 dated January 31st, 2024 and sent to the lawyers of Crystal Group, brings a new twist to the development with the Group now expected to take up the offer.
The government’s letter was signed by the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of the state Senior Ibrahim Sulyman.
The letter apparently predated the court action by Crystal Group, which was filed only on February 2, 2024.
“You will realise, and as rightly posited in your letter, that the contract with your Client is inchoate and yet to be executed. This leaves parties to the limit of their respective rights under the law,” according to the letter sighted by this medium.
“However, as a show of good faith and the demonstration of Government’s commitment to probity and public good, the State Government is willing to proceed with the uncompleted Kwara Hotel process with your client,” the government added.
“This offer is, however, predicated on the following terms: That Crystal Group shall be given the same bill of quantity (BOQ) given to the Craneburg Construction Ltd. to execute the contract to the government’s specifications and standards within a period of 24 months. This means that Crystal Group shall remodel and reconstruct Kwara Hotel in its current state of empty carcas with N3bn mentioned in your letter as well as that of Hon. Moshood Mustapha or any amount of Crystal’s choice, provided the work is done in accordance with the government’s BOQ, as prepared by IEC Group Limited, a consulting firm, and upon which the Craneburg deal was anchored.
“That in addition to providing a Guarantee from a reputable commercial bank of a sum not below N3bn, the signing of the contract shall be subject to your Client’s provision of a performance bond from any of Nigeria’s first-rate commercial banks, to prosecute the contract within the timeline and to the agreed specifications. This is to demonstrate the financial capability of your client to execute the contract as well as to ensure timely delivery of the project and guide against default, in addition to protecting public interest.”
The letter also said Crystal will provide evidence of its partnership with Protea, as had earlier been touted by Crystal.
The government said Crystal Group will retain the right to manage the hotel for 15 years if it meets the conditions to remodel and reconstructs the hotel with its N3bn or any amount of its choice, provided the specifications in the government’s BOQ are met.
The government’s offer to the Crystal Group expires this week Wednesday February 7.
Meanwhile, The Informant247 gathered that Crystal Group is yet to respond to the offer of the government as at the time of filing this report.
When contacted, an official of the of the Crystal group who pleaded not to be named said, “The company actually received the letter and we are studying it. No matter what happens, crystal group will stand with Kwarans .”