Tamale, March 22, GNA - Inadequate supply of cement is drawing back the progress of work at the Tamale CAN 2008 projects and it is feared that if immediate steps are not taken the projects may not be completed on schedule.

The contractors working on the hostel facilities at the University for Development Studies (UDS) and the Tamale Polytechnic campuses are currently buying the product from retailers in Tamale and from Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo Region at a high cost to execute the projects instead of directly from the Ghana Cement Company (GHACEM).

Mr. Opuni Amoah, Resident Engineer of the Tamale hostel facilities told the GNA Sports after an inspection of the two sites to see progress of work said that the contractors need the intervention of the government to ensure adequate supply of the product to be able to complete the projects ahead of schedule.

He said they had already applied through the GETFund to contact GHACEM to give a priority to the contractors working on the CAN 2008 projects throughout the country to ensure that the projects were completed on or ahead of schedule.

Mr Amoah indicated that if there was adequate supply of cement the contractors would definitely complete the works on schedule and hand over before the August 13 deadline.

He regretted that the situation had compelled the contractors to layoff about 30 masons and some labourers, a situation he said was hampering national development and worsening the unemployment problems of the Region.

Mr. Amoah said the buying of cement on the open market is costing the contractors extra expenses since they are now forced to buy the product at the retail price at a higher cost and sometimes they forced to travel to Sunyani when there is a shortage of the product in the Municipality.

He added that "Anytime there is a complete shortage of cement we have to buy the product on the open market between 90,000 cedis and 100,000 cedis depending on the retail store."

At the UDS hostel facility site, work was progressing at the roofing level and carpenters were could be seen on the roof executing the job while others were on other points doing internal painting, external plastering and tiling.

Work has also started on the auxiliary buildings comprising an Internet Caf=E9, clinic and resting rooms. The contractors have also started work on the laundry, the car park and the gymnastic centre. Roofing on the three-storey hostel building at the Tamale Polytechnic is almost completed and the layman's view is that it would be completed before the UDS project but the engineers have given the assurance that the two projects would all be completed on schedule. The Tamale stadium project had taken shape and the picturesque view of the stadium can be admired and viewed from any hilly are of the Municipality as the project has added to the beautification of the city. The Chinese contractors working on the stadium assured the GNA Sports that the project was on course and they would finish and hand over at the stipulated time to justify the confidence the government had in China by awarding them the contract.

Roads leading to all the sites however still remain in poor state and something urgent needs to be done about the situation to befit the status of the structures.