Minister gives ultimatum to Contractors

Wiamoase (Ash) March 22, GNA- Paapa Owusu-Ankomah, Minister of Education, Science and Sports, on Wednesday called on contractors working on projects to upgrade second cycle schools into model ones to endeavour to complete their task by the end of April this year. He said he would contact the Consultants of the various projects and that contractors who failed to meet the deadline would have their contracts terminated.

The Minister gave the ultimatum during inspection of projects being executed at Adu-Gyamfi Secondary School and Okomfo Anokye Secondary School in the Afigya-Sekyere District.

Paapa Owusu-Ankomah was on a three-day working tour of educational institutions in Ashanti Region, inspect on-going projects to upgrade schools, interact with staff and students and to meet the youth to explain government educational programmes and projects to them. He expressed concern about shoddy works he detected on a dining hall project being executed by Oyoko Contractors at Okomfo Anokye secondary school and said under no circumstances would he allow certain people to enrich themselves at the expense of the people.

Addressing students and staff of the schools, the Minister said government was committed to providing quality development of the education sector. He urged the students to be disciplined and to take advantage of the opportunities being offered them to study hard to become useful citizens.

Paapa Owusu-Ankoma advised not to haste in life but to prepare fully to be able to face the challenges of the world adding "the global competition is keen and we cannot transform the nation if the generation is undisciplined and believed in short cuts to success.

The Minister who had earlier visited Adventists Girls' Secondary School at Ntonso in the Kwabre district and asked the students to be guided by religious values and work assiduously to realize their potentials. Accompanied by Mrs Belinda Serwaah Addo, Ashanti Regional Director of Education and other educationists, Paapa Owusu-Ankoma ended the tour at Offinso where he inspected development projects and addressed students of Dwamena Akenten Secondary School.

The Minister announced that the School was among the schools to be upgraded under the third phase of the programme. He said efforts were being made in soliciting for more funds from foreign donors to facilitate the full completion of projects under the first and second phases.