Atebubu-Amantin assembly to sue recalcitrant contractors

The Atebubu-Amantin Municipal Assembly in the Brong Ahafo Region is threatening to take legal action against a number of contractors who have failed to execute and complete some projects duly awarded to them by the assembly.

The projects, according to the assembly are either non-existent or are abandoned by the contractors causing financial loss to the assembly and residents.

The abandoned projects include Atebubu D/A Primary, Akokoa R/C, Dobidi Nkwanta JHS School Blocks, Teachers Quarters at Garadima, a Police post, a slaughterhouse and Ten (10) community toilets.

The decision to sue the contractors came to light in an address by the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Edward Owusu at a Town Hall Meeting held at the Presby Church in Atebubu by the Ministry of Information in collaboration with the Information Services Department and the Atebubu-Amantin Municipal Assembly.

The purpose of the programme was to offer residents the platform to interact with government functionaries and duty bearers at the local level to seek answers to issues of national importance as well to generate feedback to fine-tune prospective policies.

“On assumption to office, an inventory was done and with the help of the Auditors General Report, I realized there were a lot of uncompleted, abandoned and ghost projects. At Jinjawura, Grumagruma, Sampa, Nyomoase and Moshiemoshie for instance, documents available indicates contracts were awarded for the construction of sheds, but on the ground, there is nothing to show. We have since held discussions with the affected contractors and the law will take its course”, the MCE warned.

He said the desire to pursue the contractors and retrieve the money with interest was not to witch-hunt, but to ensure the taxpayer’s money was used in the interest of all Ghanaians. He therefore called for support to nip the canker of corruption and dissipation of the nation’s resources in the bud.

Highlighting government’s major interventions, Owusu said the municipality will soon benefit from a cassava, ginger, maize and rice factories under the one district, one factory programme, and tasked residents to take advantage of the scheme to improve their lives.

On revenue mobilization, he said the assembly realized an increase of over 300% of internally generated revenue collected, and commended the assembly for upgrading the skills of revenue collectors, pursuing non-payers and blocking of revenue leakages.

He therefore called on residents to honour their tax obligations to enable the assembly to execute and implement most of their demands and needs.

The MCE appealed to all MMDCEs to strategize and resort to alternative sources of funding to prosecute their development agenda as the DACF was not enough and should not be depended on solely for development.

The Regional Information Officer, Imoro Ayibani, commended residents for the insightful engagement of the assembly, and encouraged them to always seek clarification on issues of concern.

He explained the engagement was a means to promote and enhance good governance, and appealed to the assembly to organize similar exercises to bring governance to the doorstep of the masses.

The Twafohene, Nana Ofori Yeboah, who chaired the programme, appealed to the assembly, opinion leaders and stakeholders to step up advocacy and publicity campaign on the YES vote in support of the creation of the Bono East Region, since the commission and government has given its approval for the creation.

He tasked all to promote peace and unity to foster sustained development of the area.

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By: Mashoud Kombat/citinewsroom.com/Ghan

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