Liaison Group awards three road projects in six communities on contract

By Benjamin Adamafio Commey, GNA

New Abirem (E/R), March 12, GNA- Some inner roads in six communities within the Birim North District of the Eastern Region will soon witness massive facelift after being awarded to contracts on Wednesday.

The three road projects totaling 15.85km includes a 5.70km Abirem-Mamanso and Old Abirem Adausena town roads, a 4.15km Ntronang-Afosu town roads and a 6km Amanfrom-Hweakwae town roads.

The projects, estimated at GH¢ 37.9million (GH¢ 37, 901, 210.90), to be undertaken by the Liaison Group, would be funded through a special development fund, "extra royalty", to be deducted from royalties paid to government by the Newmont Golden Limited, a gold mining company permitted to carry out mineral exploration in some forest reserves in the district.

When completed, it would facilitate effective monitoring of exploration works within forest reserves within the district to ensure compliance to best mining and environment practices as well as boost economic activities.

It is under the Group's "Mining in Production Forest Reserves LG Community Development Project" and would be executed by three local contractors namely; Tops Construction Limited, Osei Apeani Company Limited and Kingspok Construction Company Limited.

The Liaison Group is a joint regulatory institution, including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Minerals Commission, Ghana Water Resources Commission and the Ghana Chamber of Mines.

Others include the Forestry Commission and the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources among others.

Addressing journalists after officially handing over project documentations to the contractors, Mr Ransford Sekyi, Chairman of the Group, said that construction work on the roads are expected to commence immediately and completed within the next 10-12 months.

He said the projects involved providing bitumen surfacing on all inner roads within the six communities.

Giving a background to the projects, Mr Sekyi, who is also the Director of Inter-sectorial Network at the EPA, said in 2000, as part of efforts to ensure effective monitoring of mining companies in forest reserves, government negotiated that extra monies was to be paid.

He said as result of that, a percentage of 0.6 per cent, excluding royalties was agreed to be paid as royalties annually for developmental projects.

"Half of that per cent was to be used for administration, monitoring, among others while the other half (0.3 per cent) was to be used to pay compensations.

"However, we realised that there was no compensations to be paid and so we decided to apply that money for community development," he said.

Mr Raymond Damptey, the District Chief Executive of the area, urged the contractors to adhere strictly to the terms and conditions agreed upon to ensure quality work delivery, adding that the District Assembly would keenly monitor the projects to ensure they met standard.

He appealed to community members to use the appropriate channels to address their grievances that may arise through these projects for resolution.

Nana Kofi Owusu Amoh III, chief of Akyem Afosu, on his part expressed his gratitude to the group, adding that the project was important to boost economic activities within the community.

He said the road has been in a bad state despite the community's enormous contribution to the country.

GNA

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