By Elsie Appiah-Osei
Accra, March 13, GNA – Mr Ahmed Ibrahim, the Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, says the abandoned Astroturf at Aboaso funded by the District Assembly Common Fund (DACF) in Kwabre East is about 15 per cent complete.
“Mr. Speaker, currently, the project is about 15 per cent complete. The Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council is taking appropriate steps to review the contracts and process the pending certificates to enable the contractor return to site to complete the projects,” he said.
Mr Ibrahim said this in a response to a question asked by Mr Akwasi Gyamfi Onyina-Acheampong, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Kwabre East.
Mr Onyina-Acheampong inquired about when work will resume on the abandoned Astroturf at Aboaso, funded by DACF in Kwabre East.
Mr Ibramhim, also the National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP for Banda, explained that the Astroturf Projects commenced in June 2024 after payment of 15 per cent mobilisation to the contractor.
“Mr. Speaker, work on the project has stalled since September 2024 due to delays in honouring the interim payment certificates (IPCs) by the Administrator of DACF. The contractor has since left site due to non-payment of IPCs,” the Minister said.
He told Parliament that the Kwabre East Municipality Project was part of a package including Asante Akim South and Offinso North Municipal Assembly, which was awarded to Apistic Construction Solutions Limited totalling an amount of GH¢14,940,962.85.
The sector minister added that the consultancy firm responsible for the supervision of the Projects was Fedems Limited and the projects were expected to be completed in six months.
However, while the Kwabre East Municipal Assembly intended to site the Project at Mamponteng, the site was changed to Aboaso in the same Municipality because a similar Project was being executed at the original site.
“Mr. Speaker, the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council with funding from the Districts Assemblies’ Common Fund commissioned procurement for 20 Astroturfs,” the Minister added.
GNA
GRB