Mills abandons ¢15bn project to weeds

The abandoned ¢15 billion project

For the three days that President John Evans Atta Mills recently spent criss-crossing the Ashanti Region inspecting ongoing projects, commissioning and cutting the sod for the commencement of new ones, the New Tafo (Krofofrom) Jubilee Project was not given a Presidential look in.

The New Tafo (Krofofrom) Jubilee Project, which is supposed to be a one-stop modern market being undertaken by the Ashanti Regional Co-ordinating Council in conjunction with the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), has virtually been abandoned, and the project site overtaken by weeds.

It has also been turned into a haven for wee smokers and a disposal site, as people defecate there without restraint, since the two public toilets which were demolished to give way for the project have not been replaced.

The GH¢15,001,023.41 project, which was awarded on contract by the erstwhile New Patriotic Party (NPP), actually took off under the Mills Administration, only to be stalled along the line.

The first phase of the four-phase project, intended to increase retail space in the Metropolis, was originally scheduled for completion eight months, after the contract had formally been signed in October 2008.

The tenders for the project were opened in September 2008, and eight contractors were awarded the contract.

The contractors are Messrs. Sir Bans Designs and Building Co. Ltd, Orabek Ghana Ltd, A. BEK Limited, Joevid Company Limited, Messrs Attachy Construction, E. Owusu Mensah & Co, Messrs. Stanbay Ltd. and Messrs. Jinas Construction Limited.

A visit to the site at the weekend, however, indicated that the contractors had abandoned the site, and fears are that the contract sum might soar abnormally with further abandonment of the project.

Situated on a 12-acre  plot of land, the project comprises the construction of a main block, car park, market stalls, auxiliary floors, 72 open sheds of 2,304 store units, 32 individual stores, space for banks, offices, daycare centre, refuse collection sites and toilet facilities.

The first phase of the project, which includes the construction of washrooms, cold store, bulk breaking point, food court, fire and police posts on the ground floor, was expected to be completed by March 2010, having commenced in July 2009, after initial delays.

Other major components of the project are four blocks, which would contain anchor spaces for banks, warehouse rental outlets clinic and a day care centre.

Phase two entails the continuation of the ground floors for the completion of about 350 rentable spaces for shops, clinics and day care management offices, while the phase three contains anchor shops for banks and supermarkets, as well as shops and offices.

But, lack of funds has brought the first class land mark project, estimated to cost GH¢15,001,023.41, to a standstill, at a time 50% of the work has been executed.

Besides the GH¢1,014,558.02 paid in November 2008, as 20 percent mobilisation fee to the eight contractors, according to official documents sighted by The Chronicle, no further payments have been made, as a result of which the project has been stalled, to the disappointment of displaced traders.

The contractors were paid various mobilisation fees as follows: Messrs. Sir Bans Designs and Building Co. Ltd; (GH¢96,862.96), Orabek Ghana Ltd (GH¢96,890.30), A. BEK Limited (GH¢96,918.80), Joevid Company Limited (GH98, 332.96) and Messrs Attachy Construction (GH¢226,946.00).

The rest are Messrs. E. Owusu Mensah & Co (GH¢149,817.31), Messrs. Stanbay Ltd. (GH¢113,742.59) and Messrs. Jinas Construction Limited (GH¢135,047.28).

A source at the Regional Co-ordination Council in Kumasi pointed to lack of funds, and said     the RCC and KMA, sole beneficiaries of the project, were considering a Private Public Partnership to source funding, particularly, from the Women's World Banking.

The source said the Project Implementation Committee, which had representatives of affected   traders, was considering prevailing on traders to contribute financially to the reconstruction of the market.

Meanwhile, officials of the Engineering Department of the KMA are evasive and not ready to comment on why the project had come to a standstill, while new projects by the KMA are springing up in the Metropolis on a daily basis.

The fate of the 1,900 traders and 20 transport operators, who were displaced as a result of the reconstruction, is hanging in the balance, contrary to the assurance that they would be resettled there as soon as the project was completed.

Alhaji Rahman, a trader, said since May 18, 2009, they were relocated to the Moro market by the KMA with the promise of completing the project in 18 months, but nothing has happened.

According to him, the KMA is always pleading with them to exercised patience anytime they make enquiries.

He complained that the situation had affected business, because customers and patrons had lost touch, following their displacement.