Addressing a gathering of NDC members at Somanya after the party’s 6th unity walk aimed at reorganizing the party ahead of the 2020 elections, the former President said the government had failed in fulfilling its promises on many levels, including paying road contractors working on various projects across the country.

“NPP promised the moon but has not even delivered clouds and so it makes your goodwill dwindle so fast …I know that when we were here, we were working on asphalt upgrading roads in Somanya and Odumase. I saw the contractor’s asphalt plants parked by the roadside and you will be surprised that for nearly two years the contractors have not been paid their money and so the work has come to a standstill, ” the former President complained.

Mr. Mahama further stated that the NDC lost the 2016 elections due to apathy within its ranks.

“NPP did not win that election; we[NDC] lost it because apathy was created in our ranks. Many of our people said they will not come out and vote.”

He therefore called on teeming party supporters to eschew acrimony which contributed to the party’s defeat, and forge ahead for victory in the 2020 elections.

“If you take the 2016 elections, we lost more than 1 million votes. It means that many of our supporters refused to come out and vote.  I want to apologize to everybody to forget about what anybody did to you. It might have been your party Chairman, your party secretary. It might have been me. I want to apologize.”

Mahama slams gov’t over ‘high cost’ of fuel

The former President also criticized the Akufo-Addo government for its inability to stabilize the price of petroleum products to the satisfaction of Ghanaian consumers.

Mr. Mahama warned that the high price of fuel, particularly Liquefied Petroleum Gas, had long-term degrading effects on the environment because of the cheaper, but more destructive alternative of charcoal.

“We were told that it [petrol] was too expensive and that 50 percent of the petrol was made up of taxes alone and that when they win and come into office, they would remove the taxes so that petrol will [be cheaper]. Today petrol is selling at GHc 22 per gallon.”

“I am even more concerned about LPG because LPG was about GHc40 before December 7. Today LPG is more than GHc80. What it means is that for those who cannot afford LPG, they will go back to using charcoal and we all know the implications of using charcoal. When you use charcoal, it degrades the environment and so government should do something about the price of LPG particularly,” the former President stated.

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By: Marian Ansah & Neil Nii Amartey Karnaku/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post ‘NPP promised the moon, but yet to deliver the clouds’- Mahama appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The construction of the underground tunnel, which commenced last year October, is expected to ease the torturous journey motorists on that route endure.

[contextly_sidebar id=”3EK1LTgIl3DUdWR7ubpIOa46AjsaC2Qw”]Giving updates on construction works on the ongoing project, the Sector Minister, Kwesi Amoako Atta stated that 80 percent of the work on the project had been completed and urged contractors to complete the rest of the work by April.

“They are working according to schedule. They should deliver this project by April but I’m urging them to step up work and if it can be done a bit earlier, the better.

“I trust them and have confidence in them and I know they will be able to do it but I will urge you that if there is anything to be done, perhaps including working long hours into the night as much as possible please do.They have done 80 percent of the work so the remaining 20 percent will be done by April or earlier.”

Meanwhile, the Ministry has ordered squatters around the Tema Motorway Roundabout to relocate immediately to pave way for the construction of the interchange at the roundabout.

“This project is supposed to last 28 months. One thing I have said and I want to repeat is that this is a national project and nobody will be allowed for whatever reason to stand in the way of this project.”

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By: Philip Lartey/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post East Legon/Spintex underground tunnel 80% complete – Minister appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

“I am giving you up to six months to put all finishing touches to this project. We need it to augment emergency healthcare delivery in order to save lives,” the Minister noted.

The project initiated three years ago, was expected to have been completed in September, this year. However, due to technical issues including redesigning of some of the facilities, it could not be finished as scheduled.

Mr. Nitiwul, who was inspecting the progress of work at Afari, as part of a day’s working visit to the Ashanti Region, reminded the contractors of the strategic importance of the edifice to the nation.

He was accompanied by Major-General Obed Akwa, the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Vice-Marshall Maxwell Nagai, the Chief of Air Staff, Brigadier-General Cosmos Alhassan, General Officer Commanding the Central Command, and other high-ranking members of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) Command.

The Hospital, the nation’s second largest military health facility, makes provision for a helipad, mortuary, audiology and dermatology unit, as well as ear, nose and throat clinic.

It has eight major operation rooms, 54 staff housing units, out-patient and in-patient departments, dentistry, obstetrics and gynaecology units, while providing diagnostics and laboratory services in emergency healthcare.

Earlier, the Minister had inspected the Old Uaddara Barracks to assess the abandoned 42 staff housing units, which had been left unattended to for about four decades now.

According to the Engineering Squadron Unit of the Fourth Battalion Infantry Brigade, about 60 per cent of the projects were at the lintel level.

Mr. Nitiwul said the government was working around the clock to ensure the continuation of all abandoned military projects.

He expressed worry over the state of accommodation facilities at the various garrisons, saying they did not befit the status of an army noted for their high standards and good record abroad.

“Our gallant officers and men deserve better conditions of service, and the government is doing just that to boost their morale,” he assured.

Mr. Islam Sharawy, Resident Engineer for the project, disclosed that they had executed about 70 per cent of the general works on the facility.

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Source: GNA

The post Nitiwul urges contractors to complete Military Hospital project in 6-months appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

They complain that they often lose out on these contracts, especially to Chinese firms.

[contextly_sidebar id=”xDheanp3pQerMNvVmA2MckzpeVmHiGlg”]According to the Association’s first Vice President, Hammond Larbie, this practice is pushing them out of business.

Mr. Larbie holds the view that the situation is stifling the capacities of local contractors from flourishing.

“The local contractor makes his money here and spends his money here. The foreigner comes and takes his money, changes it and sends it back to his country and it affects our economy. Our local contractors are not able to build their capacities because they work and for over a year or two years they are not paid. When those foreigners work they are able to get their money early, but you the local man, you will not get your money.

He said local contractors would have had a better advantage on the local market if the previous government had listened to their concerns.

“We have our local people, Ghanaians. If the previous government had listened to us, there would have been money in the system because our contractors work and within three months they are paid, once they are paid, money comes into the system. We had GHc 1.2 billion that should have gone into the system.”

Calls for consideration of local contractors has been ongoing for sometime now.

The Member of Parliament for Effutu constituency, Alex Afenyo Markin, a few weeks ago called on the University of Education Winneba, (UEW), to as part of its corporate social responsibility undertake projects that will improve the relationship with the community.

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Stop awarding contracts to foreigners – Local contractors appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

This past week has seen some contractors working on GETFund projects picket at the Ministry of Finance to demand monies owed them, to the tune of over GHc 300 million spanning a period of six months.

[contextly_sidebar id=”Fl16IHRTgq8ID63rQKQYVE9u8DiUx6CR”]The Association of Building and Civil Engineering Contractors in the Volta Region also threatened to block access to roads and facilities they have constructed on January 6 if they are not paid monies owed them, with the GETFund singled out as the main defaulter in this regard.

In an interview with Citi News, the Deputy Administrator of GETFund, Stephen Baffoe, said the Fund will start the disbursement of an initial GHc 110 million received from the Ministry of Finance, based on the advice of its Board of Directors.

The Finance Ministry has promised to pay the remainder of the money owed deserving contractors, and Mr. Baffoe is optimistic that the Ministry will honour its promise of paying the remaining money.

“We have been having discussions with the Ministry of Finance. We are sure that if the levels of discussions go on, they may be able to top up what they gave us on Tuesday. But given that the week is drawing up to a close, the board has advised management to begin disbursing the GHc 110 million whilst we wait for the Ministry to top up.”

“So from [Friday], we are going to pay those who, this GHc 110 million, is able to go round to them. We would then expect that the Ministry will top up as has been promised” Mr. Baffoe stated.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Disgruntled GETFund contractors to be paid from today appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to the contractors, government owes them over five hundred million Ghana cedis spanning a period of six months.

One of the affected contractors, Daniel Tanor, told Citi News the Ministry of Finance has delayed the payment, a situation he says is crippling their businesses, since most of them go for loans to pre-finance the projects .

“For the past five, six months, we have not been paid. We have been going to GETFund premises all this while, and the story has been for us to come the next week that but nothing happens. We have been able to find out that Ministry of Finance has not given GETFund money to pay the contractors. We came to conclusion that, the only thing we can do is to demonstrate. If we do that the President will listen to us. If we are not paid up to Tuesday 11:00am,  all GETFund contractors will hit the streets.

“We will move to the presidency, that is the Flagstaff House. If we do not see the president then we will go to his House and tell him that banks are chasing us, even on Xmas day some of the contractors were not even at home because suppliers and banks were chasing all of them. Government is owing contractors more than 500 million cedis. Individually, 2 million, 5 million. We are urging all GET Fund contractors to converge on GET Fund premises  on Tuesday morning. We will walk to the Flagstaff House. We are more than 1,000”

GETFund contractors threaten to lock school buildings 

In July 2014, Getfund Contractors Association threatened to lock all school buildings they had constructed if government failed to pay outstanding arrears owed for the work done.

The Association said the lack of payments to its members was negatively affecting their families.

In an interview with Citi News, a member and contractor of the Getfund Contractors Association, George Agbo, indicated that locking the various schools would be necessary if payments are not made.

“After the demonstration, if nothing is done, we will go to all the schools and close them down. We will go to all the schools and take our keys”.

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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