Parliamentary Committee on roads recommends termination of road contract

Assin Foso, May 22, GNA- The Parliamentary Select Committee on Roads and Transport on Wednesday, recommended to the Central Regional tender board to terminate with immediate effect the contract of Progressive and Modern Contractors Limited on the upgrading of the eight kilometre Assin Foso-Praso road for non-performance.

The contract, which was awarded in July 2004 for a sum of GH¢1,450,500 was to be completed by July 2006, but the contractor asked for an extension till June 2008, only to abandon the project.

The Committee led by its Vice Chairman, Mr Yaw Ntow-Ababio, made the recommendation, when it inspected the progress of work on some feeder roads and highways in Assin North and Mfantseman Township, as part of their tour of the Central Region.

The committee inspected the upgrading of the 8 kilometre Assin-Foso-Praso road, Saltpond-Junction-Afrangua road and the surfacing of the 6.5 kilometre Akonfudi-Camp-Appoliningo feeder road.

Also inspected were the 6 kilometre Akropong-Odumase feeder road as well as the Saltpond town phase II roads project and the Mfantsiman girl's school road.

Mr Ntow Ababio said it was unfortunate that the committee had to take such a decision, "but had to do so, since the government was not prepared to deal with non-performing contractors".

The Vice Chairman was also unhappy that some contractors bid for too many contracts, which they find difficult to execute and called on the road agencies to always do proper investigations before awarding contracts to avoid shoddy works and unnecessary delay of projects.

He suggested to the Ministry to ensure that contractors were given deadlines to complete their works, and that those who fail to meet the time limit should be sanctioned.

Mr Kwabena Karkari Apau, Municipal Chief Executive of Assin North, said apart from the Kumasi-Cape Coast highway, no other road in his municipality was tarred and appealed to the committee to help address the situation.

Mr Ntow-Ababio in reply, said with the approval of a project to tar 15 kilometres of roads in each district, Assin North would be given a priority when the programme begins.

The team also visited the camp site of Taisei Corporation, the company

working on the Ankamu-Yamoransa trunk road at Abonko, near Mankessim and commended the contractor for the work done so far, but expressed his concern about the quality of work done as compared to the one linking

Mallam to Winneba. 22 May. 08