Minister orders contractor to correct defects on project

Odumasi (Ashanti), 23rd April ?99 ?

Mr Kojo Yankah, Ashanti Regional Minister, has given TAPCOM, a Kumasi-based construction company, one-month ultimatum to correct all defects on a 35.5 million-cedi three-classroom primary school project constructed by the company at Odumase in the Asante-Akim North district. He described the quality of job done by the contractor, after inspecting the project, as "disappointing".

The classroom block which had been handed over to the district assembly only six months ago, has developed serious cracks on the walls, floor and around the windows and door frames. It was financed from the assembly's share of the Common fund.

Mr Yankah was in the district for two days as part of a familiarisation visit to inspect projects implemented by the assembly and to interact with the chiefs and people in the area.

Among the projects he inspected was the ground floor of a one- storey block for the Konongo Catholic primary school undertaken at a cost of 98 million cedis under the Public Investment Project (PIP).

Other projects Mr Yankah inspected included a 41.5 million cedi European Union (EU) assisted kindergarten complex for the Konongo Mines primary school and nurses' quarters at Agogo and Dwease, both implemented with support from the EU.

The rest were a 47 million-cedi Integrated Community Centre for Employable Skills (ICCES) jointly funded by the assembly and the Dwease-Praaso communities and a 35.7 million cedi staff bungalow for Owerriman senior secondary school at Domeabra.