Accra, March 22, GNA - Mrs Joyce Bamford Addo, Speaker of Parliament on Monday officially handed over to the China Hoalong Construction Limited, the State House Towers for refurbishment.

The building popularly called "Job 600", which served as offices for officials of the Organisation of African Unity, now African Union, in 1965, will now provide office accommodation for members of parliament. It will be completed within 18 months at a total cost of 40 million dollars.

The Social Security and National Insurance Trust; provided a loan of 25 million dollars for the project, China offered three million- dollar grant and another grant of nine million Euros from Belgium. Handing over the site to the contractors, Mrs Addo said she was glad that the long-overdue project would be executed during her tenure of office. She said the project was a long cherished dream of the State and expressed the hope that work would be completed according to schedule. Mr Alban Bagbin, Minister of Water Resources Works and Housing said the resumption of the project which begun far back as 1992 was in fulfilment of the promise President John Evans Atta Mills made to members of parliament. "Being a member of parliament myself, I am aware of the enormous relief the completion of this project will bring," he said. He called on the contractor to work in harmony with the government in the execution of the project.

Mr Bagbin noted that the ultimate success of the project would rest on the good relationship among the investors, the contracting firm and the local work force. "Work place conflict do not contribute to progress," he said adding that no matter how innovative and exciting a project might be, lack of co-operation could ruin its beauty and timeliness. 22 March 10