Thursday 1st June 1978

Departed from home at 7:00am. The exhaust pipe fell off the hire car at Shere. The boarding of the plane was delayed two hours and take-off by a further half hour. We landed at 9pm after which I went directly to the company flat. I managed to get my visa extended to 20th June at the airport.

Breakfast		55p
Porter		N1:00
Taxi		N10:00
Currency exchange		N1:84
Visa extension		N10:00

 
Friday 2nd June 1978

Hired a car for the days tootling about which went as follows: Firstly I went to George Wimpey's office at Ikeja to re-establish my contact with the Contracts Director Mr.Jones. I had an amicable conversation with him and also the Chief Buyer Mr John Ward. I will write a separate report on this but in short I said that I was on my way to see IMEG and that I would then be going to Port Harcourt. Mr Jones said he would contCT site to inform them of my arrival and arrange accommodation for Monday. Mr Jones indicated that I was only required to make an inspection and report recommendations. I then went to the airport and booked the plane ticket for Port Harcourt. I continued to IMEG at Ikorodu where I found only three people on site, one of whom was Dave Ford. He was surprised to see me as he said that there was no reason for me to call. Again, I will write a separate report on this call, but I discussed the building with him and then had a look over it. I also spoke to John Love, one of the Training Staff, who is living in the Supalite. Anyhow, having asked the direct question What was required of meNothing and it was suggested there was no point in my staying. I returned to the flat via the airport where I changed some more money. I found the flat also occupied by Ernest Lilleker of Lilleker Bros who are part of Elequip, the joint tenants of the flat.

Hire car		N99:00
Porter		N1:00
Currency exchange		N1:84

 
Saturday 3rd June 1978

Went to Lagos Airport to see about getting to Port Harcourt earlier as I had not been at IMEG so long as I expected. There was above average confusion at the airport so I decided it was best to leave my ticket as already booked OK for Monday, bearing in mind also that it was the weekend and Wimpey did not expect me until Monday. I then went to the telex office at the airport hotel but the machines were out of order so I went to the main office in Lagos where I got a telex off to J Arbuckle. All that took until early afternoon and afterwards I bought some provisions and returned to the flat.

Taxi		N15:00
Provisions		N8:10
Telex		N9:00
Telex		N2:00
Snack lunch		N2:25
Snack lunch		N1:30

 
Sunday 4th June 1978

Wrote up my report on IMEG and prepared my papers for Wimpey. Went into Lagos in the afternoon.

Taxi		N4:00
Snack lunch		N2:20

 
Monday 5th June 1978

Witnessed the death of a motor cyclist on the way to the airport today (without involvement). Fair chaos at the airport and I finally got away 4 hours late having been ejected from two planes. Arrived at Wimpey where I was met by the Agent, Tony Coyle. I spent the rest of the day talking to various occupants of our buildings in order to build up a picture of the problems hoping that some sort of pattern would develop. The main complaint is of mould on the ceilings and also on clothes in the cupboards. Also fairly general is the problem of brown ooze rising through floor tile joints. Met a Mr Tom Flynn who I knew in my days with Wimpey.

Air ticket		N28:20
Airport "dash"		N10:00
Taxi		N8:00
Porter		N1:00
Taxi		N15:00
Snack lunch		N1:80
Steward		N5:00

 
Tuesday 5th June 1978

Started the day with a long chat with Tony Coyle. We discussed the entire range of his problem from physical defects down to criticism of layout and design. I then had a discussion with the M&E Engineer, Don, who gave me the information he had telexed about the cold store. He suspects the fault is due to a gas leak. We also discussed the condensation problem related to the air conditioning and came to no satisfactory conclusion.Next I made a tour of inspection of the single units with Jeff Thompson. Having pondered the evidence, I suspect the trouble with both floor and ceiling as basically due to temperature differential and humidity. In the case of the ceiling this is simple condensation but with the floor, moisture being sucked through the deck. Later I took up a floor tile from the worst floor. I found the plywood underneath soaking wet all over but not discoloured brown as the liquid coming out of the joints. I have looked and felt underneath some of the units and they feel damp. I am now uncertain whether damp is being drawn up through the floor ply or whethyer it is water from cleaning which has seeped between the floor tile cracks.

Bar

N10:00

 
Wednesday 6th June 1978

Had a meeting with Tony Coyle this morning and outlined my findings and my interpretation of them. I said that the air conditioners cooled the small room surface to a greater degree than the larger rooms which gives rise to condensation when warm humid air comes in. Mould then develops in the water droplets and the spores spread in the air. The dampness in the floor is attracted from underneath the building. Mr Coyle said he had not expected an immediate solution when I said I would need to consult some others in UK about my observations. Possibilities discused were a smaller A/C, a fungicide wash and drying and underdrawing the floor. I also had a look at the roof of Tony Coyle's bungalow to investigate the roof leaks. I found several tears in the Hypalon and lifted areas corresponding to the water stains inside. Booked air ticket for flight to Enugu.

Air ticket

N11:80

 
Thursday 8th June 1978

Gave a letter of my immediate recommendations to Tony Coyle on lines discussed yesterday then departed for the airport. Flew to Enugu then went to the ITT guset house to see if thansport was available to site. There was none so I have arranged for a hire car to collect me tomorrow for the journey to Lafia. I left a telex with Tony Coyle for transmission to the office.

Porter		N1:00
Taxi		N15:00
Taxi		N12:00
Currency exchange		N2:04

 
Friday 9th June 1978

Departed by hire car from Enugu bound for Lafia. I was unable to telex the office to check on the arrival of the erectors as the telex machines are out of order. Stopped off at the satellite camp at Oturkpo to check on progress. I found Jeremy Hunt of ITT on site. All the units had been erected and plumbing work is in progress. At last someone has found a good plumber. There had been quite a bit of damage to the units during shipment but all had been repaired. I continued to Lafia where was welcomed thehn the erectors also arrived within the hour. I had a short formal meeting with John Hestletine in the afternoon to get an outline program agreed and establish from whom we take instruction. I then had a look round the site with Sam Armitage who has been continuing with the erection work and on whom I can call for assistance. Generally speaking, there is not much work left to do. The two man units will have to be fitted out and roof leaks repaired on most units. We may be required to go to Oturkpo camp after but Boko camp I understand to be all but complete. The erectors rested for the afternoon.

Taxi

N110:00

 
Saturday 10th June 1978

We all continued with fitting out the two man units except that the plumber and I went to Mr Hestletine's bungalow to locate and repair a leak. We found and repaired two at the shower. Work was slow and difficult as the fittings had to be dismantled. At 7pm we finished but will have to return tomorrow as there is another leak under the sink cabinet.

 
Sunday 11th June 1978

Continued much as yesterday. The plumber & I soent the morning in Mr.Hestletine's bungalow dismantling cupboards etc to cure leaks to the sink and hot water cylinder. We also did some repair work to the roof of the office block.

 
Monday 12th June 1978

Continued plumbing the two man units which is taking about one day per building for two men. The carpenters started erecting the partitions and backboards in an ablutions block. The water ran out on camp.

 
Tuesday 13th June 1978

The plumber continued in the two man unit and the carpenters in the ablution block. Also attended to the rest of the roof leaks. Changed light pull switches which do not operate.

 
Wednesday 14th June 1978

Continued as yesterday but also made some adjustments to the entrance door to one of the bungalows whare water is penetrating during rain storms.

 
Thursday 15th June 1978

Continued generally as before. Erected the partitions in the office toilet unit which is to be used as a linen and general store. Also erected the partitions in the fifth two man unit.

 
Friday 16th June 1978

The carpenters eased some of the external doors and erected A/C brackets. The plumber started in the laundry. Loaded out the balance of the furniture.

 
Saturday 17th June 1978

As yesterday. I made a tour of inspection with Sam to check the packing lists. We then drew the information up into lists.

 
Sunday 18th June 1978

As yesterday. Sam and I met with John Hestletine to discuss our findings after the furniture check. These lists are self-explanatory but will be covered fully in my final report. The water ran out again. I learned today that as a result of the car accident in which I was involved last visit, two of the passengers in the other car died. The driver is now in jail and there is to be a court case next month at which John Hestletine is to appear.

 
Monday 19th June 1978

Left STC at Lafia and travelled to Wimpey at Bauchi to make a comparative inspection of the Supacom on site as they were delivered at the same time as those at Port Harcourt. I met the project manager Mike Musgrave, talked over the product then had a look round. In brief, the only problem on this site has been the old problem of plumbing assembly.

Taxi		N30:00
Air ticket		N15:30
Currency exchange		N1:04

 
Tuesday 20th June 1978

Travelled to Kano to fly home but could not get onto the plane owing to Nigerian administration. I was generously put up for the night by a Mr John Jowett of Ove Arup & Partners.

Taxi		N70:00
Porter		N1:00

 
Wednesday 21st June 1978

Managed to get onto a plane home this morning after rather a tense time getting my visa cleared as it ran out at midnight last.

Taxi		N4:00
Visa fee		N20:00
Currency exchange		N0:22
Tax		N5:00