Examine criteria for selection of road contractors -MP

Accra, Feb. 22, GNA - The Ministry of Road Transport has been urged to take a critical look at the capabilities of contractors before awarding them with contracts to ensure that they discharged themselves creditably.

Members of Parliament who made the appeal were contributing to a statement in Parliament on Tuesday.

They urged the Ministry to also look at the way contactors were classified including criteria used in selecting them for a particular work to avoid shoddy work and delays in the execution of contracts. The MPs deplored the illegal construction of speed ramps by communities, saying there was the need for the Ministry to step in to check the practice.

The MPs were reacting to a statement made by Ms Akua Dansua, NDC-North Dayi, on the state of the 30-kilometre Have - Kpando road in her Constituency.

Ms Dansua said the present condition of the road was so bad that it was hampering socio-economic activities in the area. She said communities along the road had also constructed "unacceptable speed ramps to check the speed of drivers and to reduce dust pollution".

"Mr Speaker, these speed ramps have at various times caused road accidents involving first time users and indeed even drivers in the area."

Ms Dansua said the authorities awarded work on the road to ENTPP Contract Works Limited and the contractor scarified most of the 30-kilometre stretch but could not complete the drainage works and other works, which needed to be done.

"Mr Speaker, not only has the Contractor, ENTPP Contract Works Limited left this 30-kilometer road in a worse situation than he came to meet it, he has also virtually abandoned the job and maintains only a token presence on the road to create the impression that work was in progress."

Ms Dansua said the situation had created lots of problems because businesses such as fuel stations, chop bar and markets were no longer being patronised by transit passengers and users of the road thereby affecting the revenue base of the Kpando District Assembly to some extent.

She, therefore, appealed to the Ministry to call the contractor to order to complete the job.

Mr Nkrabeah Effah-Dartey, NPP-Berekum, said road networks were the very fibre of the country's economy and urged the Ministry to take a second look at how contracts were awarded to contractors.

He said communities that wanted speed ramps along roads in their communities should seek the help of the Ghana Highways Authorities and other relevant bodies to ensure sanity in the road sector.

Mr Edward Salia, NDC-Jirapa, said communities were forced to protect themselves from speeding drivers because warning signs signalling drivers to reduce speed when they were close to communities were absent.

The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Mr Felix Owusu-Adjapong said it would have been appropriate if the Minister of Road Transport had been in the House to respond to some of the issues raised by the MPs. He, therefore, urged that the maker of the statement to rather present her concerns in a question form to enable the Minister to get a chance to respond to the concerns raised by members.