Road contractors asked to avoid shoddy work

Bolgatanga, Nov. 6, GNA - Mr Mahami Salifu, Upper East Regional Minister, on Wednesday asked road contractors operating in the region to execute contracts in conformity with specifications and avoid shoddy work, or they would be blacklisted.

He said: "My administration will not hesitate to blacklist any road contractor who performs shoddily. The days when contractors did shoddy work and got away with it are gone".

Mr Salifu gave the warning in a speech read for him by his special assistant, Mr Paul Alou at the end of a three-day workshop held in Bolgatanga for 21 members of the Association of Road Contractors of Ghana operating in the region.

The workshop was aimed at educating contractors on road construction management, tender for projects and project execution. The Minister noted that road construction played a vital role in the country 's socio-economic development and therefore a yardstick in measuring the standard of living of the people.

Mr Salifu said government in its development programme had repeatedly indicated that it would ensure vigorous infrastructure improvement.

He said the plan included the rehabilitation of deplorable roads and the construction of new ones to open up the hinterland to commerce and industry thereby bringing relief to the people.

Mr Salifu said because government implemented policies transparently, the road construction industry had become more competitive with foreign construction firms that have more sophisticated equipment and expertise also bidding for contracts.

The Minister, therefore, urged local contractors to upgrade their knowledge and skills so that they could compete with their foreign counterparts.

Mr Salifu said civil society was more awake to its obligations and people who would be dissatisfied with contractors' performance would resort to legal redress.

He, however, said: "With the emerging technological advancement, it should be possible for contractors to do good quality work." Mr Salifu urged contractors to consider the well-being of the people as a guiding principle when executing their contracts.

"The quality of your project would determine whether your names should be written in gold or silver", he added.