Furniture suppliers threaten to sue Council

The Association of Furniture Suppliers in the Brong-Ahafo Region, has given the Regional Coordinating Council (BARCC) up to September 30, to pay contract monies to members or face legal action.

The members claim they have not been paid contract monies since 2011.

Addressing a News Conference in Sunyani, Mr Sani Abdul Aziz, Regional Secretary of the Association, said the Ministry of Education (MoE) through the BARCC and the Architectural and Engineering Service Limited, contracted members to supply furniture to some schools in the region.

Mr Aziz said after the supply, certificates covering some of them were sent to the Secretariat of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) through the MoE.

He said, when contacted, Mr Sam Garba, the GETFUND Administrator, Mr Lee Ocran, former Minister of Education and Major Tarah (Rtd), former Chief Director at the Ministry, maintained that they were not aware of the contracts even though copies of the contracts were made available to them.

“Mr Garba informed us that despite the infractions, he was prepared to pay for the contracts on condition that a meeting was held between him and Mr Kwadwo Nyamekye Marfo, former Regional Minister and the Deputy Regional Minister, Mr Eric Opoku, to get some issues clarified before the payment could be effected.

“As small scale businesses, two years indebtedness has brought untold hardships to us because the inaction of the BARCC has continued for a long time,” Mr Aziz alleged.

Members of the Association are demanding GHc870,000,000 from the GETFUND, and an additional GHc3,000,000) from the MoE, being the cost of furniture supplied.