PIAC satisfied with oil funded projects in two regions

The Public Interest Accountability Committee (PIAC) has expressed satisfaction with some ongoing projects in the Western North and the North East Regions.

This was after the Committee had inspected the projects funded through the Annual Budget Funding Amount (ABFA) of petroleum revenue.

The inspection was to provide independent assessment on the management and use of petroleum revenues to assist Parliament and the Executive in the oversight and the performance of related functions.

It was also to verify the existence and progress of the projects, and assess their usefulness to the community, when completed.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the Committee noted that the construction of a 3-storey Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) Administration Block in Sefwi Wiawso and three Senior Staff Bungalows at Sefwi Wiawso in the Western North region had been well executed.

“The senior staff bungalows received a total of GH₵1,779,660 from the ABFA in 2020. The project was reported to be 90 percent complete with bungalows erected and roofed, internal finishing virtually completed, and external works ongoing.

“At the time of the Committee’s visit, the project was found to have reached the reported stage of completion and work done was satisfactory,” the statement noted.

The Committee, however, indicated that, work had stalled due to the delay in the release of funds by government for the completion of a rural market in Amoaya in the Bodi Constituency, which received GH₵107,327.70 from the ABFA in 2020.

The Committee recommended that government disbursed funds for speedy completion of the project to serve the community as the project was executed at the request of the Assembly.

“Members of the Committee were, however, informed that the District Assembly was exploring other options to get the market fully constructed for use by the community,” PIAC indicated.

For projects in the North East Region, the Committee inspected a 1,000-metric tonne warehouse with ancillary facilities at Gambaga, which had received GH₵1,330,932.11 from the ABFA in 2019 and 2020.

While commending government for the project and recommending that similar projects be executed in other areas, it called for the installation of adequate systems and equipment for effective operation of the facility.

The PIAC team together with officials of the Ghana Highway Authority also inspected the Nalerigu - Gbintri road upgrading project, which had been allocated GH₵20,000,000 from the ABFA in 2020.

The 40-km road spans over 15 communities, and when completed would ease transportation within these communities.

According to PIAC, even though work done was assessed to be satisfactory, the physical progress of the project stood at about 32 percent with outstanding work, which included clearing and road widening works on some sections, with earthworks and culvert works ongoing.

In Nalerigu, the Committee in the company of officials of the Regional Coordinating Council inspected the construction of a 3-Storey Administration Block for the Council.

The project, which commenced in 2019 and expected to be completed in 2021 has outstanding works, including painting, tiling, electricals, and furnishing.

“A total of GH₵8,604,336.59 from the ABFA went into financing the project in 2020 and 2021, with the project currently at a physical completion stage of 78 percent,” PIAC said in its statement.

The team also visited some Senior High Schools to monitor the implementation of the Free SHS policies after, which it interacted with some tertiary students of on the utilisation of petroleum revenue.