Accra, Feb. 1, GNA - The Social Investment Fund (SIF) on Monday reac= ted to media reports that the Urban Poverty Reduction Project (UPRP), had achieved nothing in the Central Region and Apam in particular for 26 months= .. It debunked claims that the UPRP was funded by the World Bank as the report said, indicating that the African Development Bank was the corporate entity behind the project.

A rejoinder issued by Mr Joseph Acheampong, Acting Executive Director of the fund and copied to the Ghana News Agency said: 93It is not true th= at no sub-projects have been completed in Apam. "For the records this is the status of implementation of sub- projec= ts in the three beneficiary towns in the Central Region as at December 31, 2010; "Swedru: 22 projects approved, 11 fully completed and 11 between 51 per cent and 99 per cent completed. "Apam: 31 sub-projects approved, four fully completed, 24 between 51 per cent and 99 per cent completion and three below 50 per cent completion. "Kasoa: 16 approved, seven fully completed and nine between 51 per c= ent and 99 per cent completed."

The rejoinder said in the specific case of Apam junction most sites were affected and work had to be put on hold. Mr Acheampong said: 93Some sites had to be totally abandoned and new locations found before commencement of work. All these combined to delay th= e implementation process."

"We (SIF) wish to put on record that every contractor working on SIF sub-projects have been paid fully up to the level of completion. The claim that certificates take three months to pay cannot be true. "The process of payment begins from the period the certificate is submitted to the office and not when the consultant has been notified by th= e contractor to measure the work and prepare the certificate. "It should be noted that in contract administration, termination of contracts follow due process. It cannot be done at somebody's whims and caprices."

Mr Acheampong said several notifications had been sent to the defaulting contractors and on January 12, 2011, a meeting was scheduled for Wednesday, January 26 with all the contractors to discuss the way forward. "The decision has long been taken that those who cannot continue wil= l have their contracts terminated after (the) meeting. "SIF has an enviable track record and we will continue to pursue diligently, efforts to reduce poverty as envisaged by the project and to contribute to other efforts by Government to achieve the Millennium Development Goals that seeks to halve the proportion of the poor living on less than a dollar a day by 2015, 93Mr Acheampong concluded.