Minister warns contractors against delays, shoddy work

Tamale, Aug. 24, GNA - Mr. Kwame A. Twumasi, Deputy Minister of Education and Sports, has said the Ministry would sanction contractors who either delayed the execution of projects unduly or performed shoddy work.

He warned: "The Ministry will not hesitate to terminate any contract if the contractor is found not to be doing a good job." Mr. Twumasi was speaking at a meeting with contractors executing educational projects at the Tamale Secondary School (TAMASCO) under the School Upgrading Programmed during a surprise visit to the school on Tuesday.

He expressed disappointment at the slow pace of work and asked the contractors to ensure that the projects were completed on time to facilitate admissions for the 2005/2006 academic year. The Deputy Minister, who paid a similar visit to Northern School of Business (NOBISCO), denied allegations that the government owed the contractors and asked them to report to the Ministry, plumbing and electrical contractors who were not working through the Clerk of Works for the appropriate sanctions to be meted out to them. At NOBISCO, Mr Twumasi expressed dismay at the poor infrastructure in the school and assured the school authorities of government's assistance to address some of the problems of the school.

Mr. Mohammed Amin Adam, the Deputy Northern Regional Minister, and a former student of NOBISCO who accompanied Mr. Twumasi, noted that NOBISCO had produced many graduates most of whom were contributing their quota to the socio-economic development of the country yet the institution had not seen any physical development for several years now. He appealed to the sector Ministry to consider selecting the school for upgrading.

Mr. Twumasi paid similar visit to the Damongo Secondary School where he inspected on-going projects.