Assembly Gives Contractor 90-Day Ultimatum …To Complete Project Or Lose Contract

The Sekyere Kumawu District Assembly, at its emergency meeting at Kumawu last week, has given a Kumasi-based construction firm, Gamad, a 90-day ultimatum to fully complete a 14-lockable store project.

The House, led by the Presiding Member, Samuel Addai Agyekum, unanimously decided that the contractor should complete the project in three months, or lose the contract. This decision was taken after a heated argument as to whether to abrogate the contract or not. This was after Mr. Ahmed Ganin, the contractor, had pleaded with the house to give him an extra four months.

Mr. Tony Kwenin and heads of department at the meeting said the delay was necessary, because it would allow ample time for the hardcore filling to settle before casting the oversight concrete to help solidify the building. The assembly awarded the 14-unit lockable stores, which includes a urinary facility and pavement of the lorry park, to the contractor in June last year.

However, the contractor is yet to fix the electrical fittings, metal doors, and pavement of the lorry park of the project, which supposed to be completed in six months (December last year). But, the assembly members, who did not take kindly to the explanation given by the contractor, asked him to complete the project in the next three months.

According to them, an amount of GH¢201,000, out of the contract sum of GH¢266,000, had been paid to him, and, therefore, saw no reason why the project had come to a standstill. The District Chief Executive, Samuel Asiamah, also expressed his dissatisfaction as to why the contractor had adopted a slow pace towards the completion of the project, and complained that on three separate occasions, the contractor failed to respond to his invitations.

“I invited him for a discussion to find out if there is any challenge, and how it can be resolved, but he never turned up,” the DCE complained, and endorsed the action of the assembly members in ensuring that the progress of the district was not derailed by anyone.

Meanwhile, Samuel Asiamah has commended senior citizens for their dedication and hard work which had made it possible for Ghana to advance to this stage, and hoped they would continue to contribute their quota for the good of mother Ghana. The DCE was convinced that senior citizens are still relevant to our nation’s development, as they serve as role models, both in public and private, and appealed to the elders to continue to impart their good counsel and deeds to the younger generations, emphasising: “Our generation needs your high moral values and good deeds.”

Mr. Asiamah, who hosted about 100 senior citizens during this year’s 54th Republic Day anniversary celebration, also announced that the Kumawu township would undergo a massive facelift to befit the status of a district capital. According to him, the measures for the proposed facelift, in response to enquiries and appeals made to him at the function by some of the pensioners, include the resurfacing of bad roads, construction of more drains to check erosion and flooding, and extension of electricity to newly-developed areas.

Others were, pulling down of all unauthorised structures in the town, and obtaining of building permits by developers before putting up structures. The retirees were concerned about the lack of streetlights at some parts of the town, and flooding caused by choked gutters at the Anglican Primary and JHS, Saviour Mission Church, and some parts of the Zongo community.

Most of the retirees present also appealed to the government to enroll all people above 60 years on the National Health Insurance Scheme, since most aged, who lived on pension allowance, faced financial challenges.

Mr. Samuel Adomako, Chairman of Ghana Government Pensioners Association, Kumawu branch, also appealed to the DCE to liaise with the appropriate authorities on the issues concerning their pay, health, and office accommodation. Nana Atta Boaten, a sub-Chief of the Kumawu Traditional Area and also an Assembly Member, who presided over the reception, advised his colleagues to visit the hospital regularly, at least every three months, to under-take periodical check-ups.

Source: The Chronicle