Government to terminate contracts

Accra, Sept.19, GNA - Government announced on Monday that it was compiling a list of contractors, who are unduly delaying work on drainage projects, especially in flood prone areas in Accra, for prosecution and the eventual termination of the contracts.

Mr Issah Ketekewu, Deputy Minister of Works and Housing, who made this known to the Ghana News Agency in Accra, said it was wrong for contractors, who have collected between 30 million cedis and 80 million cedis for mobilisation to get on site to hold the people at ransom. "It has got to my notice that a particular contractor operating around Camp Two in Teshie, has collected money from the State and is not on site.

"This is a strong warning to him and all such recalcitrant contractor. They would be found out, compelled to refund the money and punished," he warned.

Mr Ketekewu said persistent flooding in the national capital had compelled the Government to sink a lot of capital into the provision of drains.

He said such capital- intensive projects had sprung up at Madina, Taifa, Ashongman, Nungua, Gbawe, and Nungua, which had drastically minimised floods this year.

Mr Ketekewu said Government had plans to seal the open drains with slabs in future to prevent the choking of such facilities with human waste.

He said measures were also far advanced to improve on drains and other sanitation projects in the Cape Coast Municipality in the Central Region.

Mr Ketekewu, however, appealed to the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to enforce byelaws and prosecute people who wilfully dumped waste into open drains.

Commenting on the improvement of water supply to Accra Metropolis, he said when the looping of the Weija Dam was completed provision of potable water to the people in the city would be a dream come true. 19 Sept.05