Construction of UCC’s Science Faculty Annex stalls

Work on the construction of a Science Faculty Annex for the University of Cape Coast’s (UCC) which began about five years ago has come to a standstill.

GNA investigations showed that the building, a GETFund project, was awarded on contract by the University to Sarobi Limited, a local construction firm, in 2006 and scheduled to be completed within 30 months.

With 32 per cent of the job being complete, the two structures, five stories and four stories, will have offices, laboratories and lectures theatres.

Mr William Obeng, the Executive Secretary of Sarobi Limited, said the UCC terminated the contract on December 19, 2011 and the reason given was lack of funds for the completion of the project.

Mr Obeng said it could not be lack of funds because even though the GETFund administration was not releasing money for the project, the Company decided to pre-finance it to get it completed.

He said the company had bought enough materials and was in the process of continuing the project when it received a letter dated December 19, 2011, terminating the contract.

“The materials are now lying idle with some of them being stolen from the construction site,” Mr. Obeng said.

He said UCC’s action was a surprise and the company had therefore initiated a court action to seek the restoration of the contract by the UCC’s Directorate of Physical Development and Estate Management.

Dr Isaac Ohene, the Registrar of the UCC, declined to comment on the issue when contacted, saying the matter was in court.

Source: GNA