Delays in payment of certificates affect road projects – Engineer
Delays in the payment of Interim Payment Certificates (IPCs) by the government is seriously affecting rehabilitation works on the Techiman-Kintampo trunk road in Brong-Ahafo, Mr. William Owusu-Banahene, resident engineer, said on Tuesday.
He said for the past two years the government had failed to contribute its 20 per cent share of the rehabilitation of the 60-kilometer trunk road being constructed at the cost of billions of Ghana Cedis.
Mr. Owusu-Banahene said this when he briefed Mr. Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo, Brong Regional Minister, on the progress of work on the road after the Minister had undertaken an inspection of the project.
The rehabilitation work on the road was awarded to Messrs Shinsung Engineering and Construction Company Limited of Korea in 2008. African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Ghana government are the funding agencies with AfDB contributing 80 per cent of the total cost.
Mr. Owusu-Banahene said because of the government’s delays in the payment of the IPCs work on the road which had been divided into three parts and was expected to be completed within 30 months, had stalled.
As a result of the delays, the government would pay an extra 30 per cent of the total project cost of the projects as penalty to the contractors, he added.
Projects “A” and “B” are the upgrading of existing bitumen surface to asphaltic drainage structures of the 53.70 kilometre Techiman-Apaaso and 6.8 kilometre Addendum number one, Apaaso-Kintampo stretches, at the cost of GH¢28,425,598 and GH¢5,784,094.01 respectively, he added.
The resident engineer said progress of work on project “A” was 77 per cent, and 41 per cent for project “B”, indicating that “all things being possible” the project would be completed by March this year.
He said Project “C”, being executed by Messrs SOECO, was funded solely by the government at the cost of GH¢21,790,502.10 and work on it would include the construction of a dual carriageway in Kintampo, as well as the upgrading of existing surfaces to double surface-dressed roads and five-kilometre selected roads in gthe Kintampo township.
Mr. Owusu-Banahene noted that contractors working on the projects were also faced with a number of challenges including disruption of work by residents of communities along the road, and transport owners repairing broken down vehicles on completed asphalt roads without protection.
He said the re-location of taxis and traders from the road corridor especially in Kintampo was also a major problem affecting the project.
Mr. Nyamekye-Marfo explained that work on the projects was very dear to the heart of government since on completion it would help to boost economic activities in the area.
He appealed to the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning to ensure that monies were released on time to facilitate the speedy completion of the project.
The regional minister advised residents along the road to co-operate with the contractors for work on the project to progress steadily.
Mr. Nyamekye-Marfo said he was impressed with the work of the contractors but cautioned them against shoddy works.
Source: GNA