Accra, Sept. 2, GNA - Mr Magnus Opare-Asamoah, Deputy Minister of Transportation, on Tuesday identified inadequate road plant, equipment and local technical capacity as a bane to the local road contraction industry. He said this had resulted in the delay of several road development and maintenance projects awarded to local contractors since 2001. Mr Opare-Asamoah said this in Accra at the inauguration of an Office Complex for JA Plant Pool Ghana Limited at Dzorwulu, the former premises of the defunct Plant Pool Limited. The company would supply heavy duty, earth moving equipment, dump tracks, sanitation equipment and equipment leasing and rental. He said it was in this regard that the Ministry deemed the business of plant and equipment hire and lease as crucial to support government's programmes in providing safe and motorable roads to enhance socio-economic development.

The Deputy Minister therefore called on the company to stretch further its collaboration with their Chinese suppliers to include transfer of technology between Ghanaians and Chinese engineers. "This collaboration would hopefully bring about the expansion that would result in the increase of employment and contribute to national development," he added.

Mr Opare-Asamoah commended the management for the initiative and expressed the hope that the pool would enhance the capacity of local contractors to enable them to efficiently execute government projects. Mr Emmanuel Amofa, General Manager of the company, said it was registered in 2007 with branches in all the regions to take over the assets and liabilities of the defunct Plant Pool Limited. He said the inauguration of its office complex therefore demonstrated the company's resolve to do business, through a customer centred philosophy that would help promote prosperity in the road, estate developing, waste, agriculture and mining sectors. Mr Amofa stated that as further demonstration of their commitment, the company had adopted a strategy dubbed; "Catch them Young" to train more young engineers in earth moving equipment.

He said the company had therefore set up a training school to freely offer a three-year Higher National Diploma in Mechanical Engineering to create more expertise needed for the sector. Mr Amofa further called on government to develop a strategic policy framework that would push the heavy equipment industry forward. The General Manager announced that the company was embarking on a 50 per cent discount sales promotion and urged the public to take advantage of it before the September 15 deadline.