Execute UPRP projects with dispatch - DCE

Apam, July 1, GNA - Contractors working on the Urban Poverty Reduction Projects (UPRP) of the Social Investment Fund, at Apam have been urged to expedite work to meet the deadline for the completion of the projects.

Mr. Theophilus Aidoo-Mensah, Gomoa West District Chief Executive (DCE) made the call during a visit to some schools at Apam. The unannounced visit to schools like the Catholic Primary and Junior High School A and B, Methodist Primary and Junior High Schools A and C enabled the DCE to know at first hand, problems facing the schools and how teachers were going about their duties.

Mr. Aidoo-Mensah was accompanied by Mr. Fred Addae, District Co-ordinating Director and the Deputy District Co-ordinating Director, Mr. Shiraj Musah, District Engineer of the Public Works Department, Mr. Ebo Nkum and the Apam Circuit Officer of Education, Mr. Emmanuel Glago. The DCE expressed disappointment about the poor Basic Education Certificate Examination results in the district, last year. The results placed the district in the last position of the ratings of the 17 districts in the Central Region.

Mr. Aidoo- Mensah said every effort must be made to turn the tide and appealed to all stakeholders to be alive to their responsibilities. Mr. Aidoo-Mensah noticed during his interaction with the teachers and pupils that most schools lacked exercise books and furniture. At the Catholic Schools, the Headmistress, Ms Agnes Mensah complained about inadequate classrooms.

She said the situation had been the greatest challenge of the school in delivering quality education.

Ms Mensah appealed to the DCE to look for one Jonara, a contracting firm, which was awarded a contract under the Ghana Education Trust Fund to construct a six-unit classroom block for the school since 2006, but allegedly collected the greater part of the contract sum and abandoned the project.

The DCE expressed concern about the situation and appealed to contractors working on school projects to consider the fate of the beneficiary pupils and live up to expectation. "The welfare of our future leaders must not be toyed with" the DCE said.

Multi Vision Company Limited, was allegedly awarded the contract to put up a school block project under the UPRP but did not report to start works even though it received a mobilization grant. 01 July 09