Contractors call for fast-tracking of duty, tax exemption process
The Chinese Construction Firm working on the new Cape Coast Sports Stadium has appealed to the Government to expedite action on the tax and duty exemption procedures for imported materials for the project.
According to them, the process between the Ministries of Youth and Sports, Finance, Trade and Industry and the Ghana Revenue Authority was “complex and bureaucratic”, delaying the work at a great cost to them.
Project Manager, Tang Weiyi made the appeal when the Minister for Youth and Sports, Dr. Mustapha Ahmed inspected work progress as part of a “fact finding tour” of sports facilities and youth leadership training centers in the Central Region.
Construction Work on the 15,000 capacity multi-purpose stadium being funded with a $30million-Chinese-Grant started in August 2013, and is expected to be completed in August this year.
However, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, following request from the company in respect of the aforementioned and other delays, has extended the completion date of the project to October.
When completed, the stadium would have eight run-way tracks, natural grass football field, parking lots, various sports discipline courts, media, medical, guest and other rooms, track and field sports devices as well as other facilities.
Weiyi further appealed for security to be enhanced at the site, since work had reached a stage where very vital equipment would be installed, and also stressed the urgent need for settlement of site utility bills which was soaring.
The project is about 82 percent complete.
The Minister said that the Ministry would address all challenges.
Earlier at a meeting with staff of the regional National Sports Authority (NSA), the minister said the Robert Mensah Sports Stadium, would not be abandoned after the new stadium was completed since according to him, it had great potential.
He urged the NSA to find other revenue generating avenues to help maintain the stadium.
Dr. Ahmed stressed the need to create the opportunity and platform for people with talents and interest for other sports disciplines and train them adequately to fill the vacuum created in that area adding that the concentration should not only be on football.
He said Government was committed to the development of other sports disciplines and called on the private sector to support efforts of the Government.
He called on the NSA and other related bodies under the ministry and also the public to support the Ministry succeed especially when it had had seven minsters in last six years and promised to work together with them to enhance the sector.
Source: GNA