By Mildred Siabi-Mensah
Takoradi, July 11, GNA – The Western Regional Coordinating Council (WRCC) has expressed displeasure about the negative attitudes of road contractors across the Region.
The Council, complained about the undue delays in the execution of these contracts, abandonment and even shoddy works, leading to the worsening of the road network situation in the Region.
The Council was also not in agreement that such contracts should always be awarded in Accra, which often tired their hands against the strict demand for accountability and proper supervision, to ensure that such contracts were executed to term and on schedule.
These sentiments were expressed at the First Regional Coordinating Council Meeting in Takoradi.
Mr Mark Andoh, the Presiding member for the Shama District Assembly, was the first to comment on deplorable roads in the area, followed by Mr John Agyare, the Municipal Chief Executive for Ahanta West, after which many of the District Chief Executives at the meeting added their voices to cement their unhappiness regarding project executions by contractors in the Region.
Mr Mark Andoh, reminded the house about how Shama District was the much talked about in terms of asphalt roads and how presently the district was in total mess.
He said, “Shama is not only losing out as food basket to most residents in Sekondi/Takoradi but has lost its glory of the popular slogan; “Shama, we are walking on Coal Tar”.
Mr John Agyare added, “I can boldly say that roads are the major hurdles I am confronted with…all the nine road projects are at stand still, and you call contractors to no avail”.
Dr Isaac Daasmani, the DCE for Prestea-Huni- Valley said the contractors were non-performing because of the lack of decentralised account to pay them.
“They go to Accra and take their monies and so they don’t even recognize us in the districts and until the MMDCEs are given the powers to supervise and pay these contractors at the local level, these tears will not end”.
Mr Kojo Acquah MCE of Kwesimintsim Municipality, recounted how a project which on paper should be completed within nine months was now in the fourth year.
“I nearly slapped the contractor for making me go through the sleepless nights and meetings to always find something to convince the citizens about meanwhile, the government has paid the monies already”.
Awulae Angama-Tu Agyan, Paramount Chief of the Gwira Traditional Council said, “the government must begin to red-mark all disappointing contractors who are contributing to carnages on the road”.
He continued, “as citizens we are not getting value for money in the real sense because, we pay roads taxes and yet we travel on jaw breaking, manned-hole roads”.
Responding, Mr Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, the Western Regional Minister said active citizens participation was key in reverting the seeming entrenched trends over the years.
He said, “I encourage you citizens and traditional authorities to write letters to the local government on the many non-performing contractors who are actually making our work in the communities a difficulty task”.
The Regional Minister continued that, “You, a contractor bid for contract and deceive the government that you have the fiscal and technical strength and yet you dilly dally with not only the government, but the people who need these roads to protect life and living”.
Mr Okyere Darko-Mensah said, his outfit had suffered enough of the insults as political heads, but the problems were emanating from the contractors.
GNA