According to him, the projects, over ten in number, have so far been halted because the contractors haven’t been paid since the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) assumed office.

Speaking to Citi News’  Parliamentary Correspondent, Duke Mensah Opoku, Mr. Ahi, who is also the Member of Parliament for the Bodi Constituency in the Western Region, charged government to immediately pay the contractors to enable them resume work.

[contextly_sidebar id=”PFzxkIWtrpqBB48QtZliZCjahGWzd8ku”]“All the sea defense projects have been abandoned. Before we left office, we had started working on over ten sea defense projects along the coastal belts. There were some in Takoradi, Volta and Central regions just to make sure that the people living within the coast are protected. When they (NPP government) assumed office, they have abandoned the projects. The contractors are not on site because they have not been paid since the NPP assumed office.”

Mr. Ahi also called on the Minister for Works and Housing, Samuel Atta-Akyea, to inspect the sea defense projects so as to bring respite to residents along the coast.

“So I want to call on the Minister for Works and Housing, Atta Akyea, to leave his office and go and inspect ongoing projects along the coastal areas so that he will know how important it is to look for money to allow the contractors to continue,” he added.

Tidal waves render people homeless

Sea defense walls are constructed to prevent the sea from taking over settlements.

Tidal waves have been ravaging homes built along coastal lines in the country.

In June 2017, several people were rendered homeless after tidal waves swept through Blekusu, a fishing community in the Ketu South Municipality of Volta Region.

We need foreign aid to tackle tidal waves

The Minister for Works and Housing, Samuel Atta Akyea, at the time said there was the need for external support to assist government to permanently address the persistent problems of tidal waves sweeping through coastal communities.

According to him, the existing sea defense projects aimed at checking such problems are capital extensive, hence government cannot undertake it alone.

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By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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There have been several calls on the government to complete the interchange and fix other portions of the Tema Motorway which many motorists say is in a deplorable state.

[contextly_sidebar id=”pMi9A1wcczGNsWtkrF4vMLi5gV0UjEQJ”]Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show, Mr. Karbo said the Road Fund, which was specifically set up to finance road projects across the country, is cash-strapped to finance these projects.

“As we speak, the loan is kicked in and releases to the road fund have been hijacked ..Our hands are tied. We are in a very difficult situation. My Ministers have had sleepless nights and we all use the road on a daily basis” he lamented.

As part of measures to address these challenges, Mr. Karbo said government is currently seeking a strategic investor to fund various road projects.

“We are working tirelessly to ensure that beyond the limited resources available to government and Ministry to do these roads, we get a concessionaire or get a strategic investor. Indeed, many have come before the Ministry and expressed interest in working with us to ensure that at least the current tolls can be used. ”

Giving timelines for the Tema Motorway interchange road project, the Deputy Minister said: “I’m hoping that if all things work well, by the close of the year, we should be taking grounds on that.”

“The Tema Motorway is coming under construction.The first phase is done. We are looking at the Japanese and Chinese grant which are going to help us to build the three tier and two tier interchanges which will also help redistribute traffic within the Tema Industrial area,”he added.

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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The post We’ve no money to fix Accra-Tema motorway now – Karbo appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The 15,000 birds made up of both broilers and layers, were inspected by Hon. Mustapha Ussif together with the Ag. Deputy Director in Charge of Finance and Administration, Dr. Gifty Oware-Aboagye, the Greater Accra Regional Director, Madam Anas Zanoo and some staff from the secretariat.

Mr. Ussif told the workers that his office was aware of the challenges under his predecessors, and pledged his willingness to ensure the needed support is given to the Agricultural sector to enable them to do more to support the President’s “Planting for Food and Jobs” policy.

Dr. Oware-Aboagye also used the occasion to encourage the workers to continue to be disciplined and dedicated in the discharge of their duties for the Scheme and the country at large.

The Scheme is currently planting on its 500-acre Dawhenya farms, 1000 acres Ejura farms, and all its farms across the country.

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Source: NSS

The post NSS Boss inspects projects at Nungua, Papao farms appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The Deputy Minority Leader, James Kludze Avedzi, had argued that government’s decision to totally forgo sole-sourcing in awarding government contracts might delay critical projects since sole-sourcing has its own benefits.

[contextly_sidebar id=”TB9HoA0XOAvL5I60cbM7d032gU1BL1Ie”]Mr. Avedzi revealed that going through the normal tendering process, could take weeks and in some cases months, which might lead to unnecessary delays.

“…Anything you want to procure, you have to go through these processes and sole sourcing is going to make governance so difficult for them…I wish them well; but I have my doubts and I believe that it is going to put them in a tight corner, and it will even have negative effects on this country,” Mr. Avedzi explained.

But speaking on Eyewitness News, Mr. Akoto Osei rubbished these suggestions, saying government should shun the idea of resorting to sole sourcing, since it does not encourage quality and competition.

“I don’t know why Ghana should be an exception. The regimes make sole sourcing an exception not the norm. Governments everywhere go through competitive bidding and it doesn’t delay the process and programmes of governments everywhere so I don’t know why Ghana should be an exception.”

“We don’t give value for money and that is why it is only an exception. When it becomes the norm then you know government is being cheated and that is why we go for competitive bidding. Good governance requires competition.”

MP calls for more power for procurement authority

The Deputy Majority Leader of Parliament, Adwoa Safo, had earlier called for the amendment of the public procurement act to give the Procurement Authority, the powers to conduct value for money auditing on sole-sourced projects.

She described as sad, revelations by the Auditor General’s annual reports that 80 percent of the procurement malpractices are centered on sole sourcing.

“From 2012 to 2014 when I was on the public accounts committee, about 80% of their recommendations to parliament are procurement malpractices… So I think that if the law is there, you need also a policy direction. And I think that, that is the first step that the president has given us in his state of the nation address.”

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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The post Sole-sourcing hinders competition – Akoto Osei appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to him, his achievements in the Eastern region surpasses that of the New Patriotic Party which touts the region as being its stronghold yet failed to initiate projects in the area during its regime from 2001 to 2008.

[contextly_sidebar id=”KdAqGg9u1347LOEdowzm6fyDalptFlIP”]Speaking to supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) at Aum Apapam in the Eastern Region, President Mahama therefore urged the people to give him a second term mandate.

“A certain party has said that the Eastern Region is theirs, so no matter what happens they will win in the region. In turn, they have shifted their attention from here. Upon research, I found out that during the 8 years of NPP’s rule, they never built a secondary school in the Eastern Region.”

The President added that under the erstwhile NPP regime led by former President Kufuor “not a single hospital was built.”

“Meanwhile the NDC has built 13 communities day secondary schools [in the region]; we have also built a brand new district hospital. We have also built 104 CHPPS compounds.”

Agenda 50/50

The NDC is seeking to get half of votes in the Eastern Region for President Mahama with its agenda 50/50 strategy.

In view of this the NDC government has initiated a number of projects in the region.

During his five-day tour of the region, the President used the opportunity to explain to the people of the Eastern Region the need to give him a second term in office.

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By: Kojo Agyeman/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post My achievements in Eastern Region unrivaled – Mahama appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.