Residents blame contractor for abandoned project

Accra, Oct 13, GNA - Mr Clement Sowah, Managing Director of Sosamen Construction Works, has denied that the construction of a storm drain at Abease, a locality within Mallam in Accra, has been abandoned.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency on Thursday, Mr Sowah said, "We have not abandoned the project. It is because of the bad weather that is why we have stopped for sometime."

He explained that storm water from the Akwapim Mountains passed through the drain and with the raining season work had to be suspended until the dry season.

Mr Sowah stated that the Department of Urban Roads of the Ga West District Assembly, awarded the contract to his company, adding that, it has not received any payment for the work done so far.

He said in spite of this he informed the Department about the inability of the company to continue work during the rainy season. Mr Sowah said he had mobilised resources from other sources to execute the contract, adding that, he had assembled materials and other inputs to start work on the project on Monday.

A report in the media also filed on the Ghana Web last Saturday attributed flooding of houses in the area to the contractor for abandoning the project.

Mr Sowah said he stood the risk of losing a lot of materials during the rains and had to suspend work.

He said the contract was awarded in December 2005 and as at April 2006, more than half of the project had been completed but no payment had been made.

Mr Sowah said, "Despite the monetary constraints facing the company I have managed to raise funds and come October 15, I will continue with the project".

According to the residents, Sosamen Construction Works diverted a waterway during the construction of the drainage system in the area, leading to the flooding of their houses, whenever it rained. Mr Sowah assured the residents that he would work around the clock to complete the contract on time to make their problem a thing of the past.