Contractors given two-week ultimatum to resume work on abandoned projects

Joe Danquah, the Chief Executive Officer of the Middle Belt Development Authority (MBDA) has expressed worry about abandoned work on some projects being executed by the Authority, under the government’s ‘One Million dollar’ per constituency initiative in parts of the country.

He, therefore, gave a two-week ultimatum to contractors working on the abandoned projects to resume work or their contracts would be terminated, saying the Authority would serve notices to the “recalcitrant contractors” in that regard.

Mr. Danquah told Journalists during an inspection visit to assess the progress of work on the construction of classroom blocks, durbar grounds, markets, toilets, and health facilities in the Jaman North District and Wenchi Municipality of the Bono Region on Tuesday.

The Authority is executing similar projects in 109 districts and municipalities in the country.

Established in 2017 by Act 962 of Parliament, the MBDA exercises its mandate in five regions – Ashanti, Bono East, Bono, Ahafo, and Eastern Regions, and it is the main vehicle for spearheading the development of these regions.

Mr. Danquah explained the government had prioritized the ‘One million dollar’ per constituency initiative as a vehicle to facilitate the development of the five regions, and warned contractors against shoddy works, saying the Authority would not hesitate to terminate the work of contractors who might frustrate the initiative.

He, however, commended some of the contractors for excellent work done on some of the projects inaugurated and handed over to the beneficiary communities and asked them to complete the remaining ones as scheduled.

Mr. Danquah inaugurated a six-unit classroom block with offices and stores for the Amponsakrom Methodist Basic School in the Wenchi Municipality constructed at the cost of GHC427,000.00

He also inaugurated a three-unit classroom block worth GHC237,000.00 for the Abotreye Municipal Assembly Junior High School as well as a 12-seater water closet toilet at Tromeso, also in the Municipality.

Mr. Danquah explained all these and several projects spread across the five regions showed the government’s commitment to improving the nation’s infrastructural development, especially in rural areas, and advised the beneficiary communities to adopt the culture of maintenance.

“We have awarded contracts on many projects across the regions and it is imperative we go round to assess the progress of work and ensure contractors execute quality work that would benefit the people in the long term,” he said.

Mr. Bernard Kwadwo Opoku, the Wenchi Municipal Works Engineer, commended the Authority for its intervention to improve on particularly education and health and assured the Assembly would support the communities to maintain the projects.

At Amponsakrom, Clement Bomasah, a teacher appealed for toilet and urinal facilities and implored the Authority to help fence the school as well to ward off animals.

Albert Baakebe, an opinion leader at Abotreye, also thanked the Authority for the classroom block and appealed for a toilet/urinal facility for the school.