By Iddi Yire
Accra, Sept. 12, GNA – President John Dramani Mahama has inspected the ongoing construction works on the 24-Hour Economy Market at Nadowli-Kaleo as part of his two-day Resetting Ghana Tour of the Upper West Region.
The President in his address commended the contractor who was working on the project.
“We are constructing these 24-Hour Markets in all 261 constituencies, and I can see that this is a serious contractor,” the President said.
“There are some project sites where the people who won the contracts do not have the financial capacity to begin work.”
President Mahama noted that some contractors assumed that they would first receive mobilisation, just as happened in the past, and therefore expected that companies awarded these projects would have the financial muscle to start the work with their own resources.
He also noted that once a contractor reached 15 per cent of completion, payment was made, and the work continued until the project was finished.
The President said the money was available, and there was no reason for any contractor to fail to advance the work to this stage.
“From what I have seen here, the contractor is on track and is doing a very good job. I encourage you to continue the good work,” the President stated.
He said these markets were going to strengthen the economic life of their communities, adding that they had farmers who were looking for reliable outlets to sell their produce.
He said the 261 markets across the country would provide trading spaces for the nation’s pepper farmers, onion farmers, maize farmers, and many others and also have a place to display their goods and earn a decent income.
“That is why these markets are so important, and I hope all the other contractors working on similar projects will take a cue from what is happening here in Nadowli.”
Touching on the bridge that the chiefs spoke about at the event, the President said he had instructed the Deputy Minister of Roads and Highways to direct the technical team to inspect the bridge immediately.
He said they already had the steel components, so they should mobilise and install them to open up the area.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Odeng Adade/Linda Asante Agyei