Let’s put completedprojectsto use!

The practice where public-funded projects started by previous administrations are abandoned by successive regimes has been a bane of the country’s development.

It isin this vein that the government had given the assurance that it will complete all abandoned and uncompleted projects in the country.

Presenting the 2021 budget in Parliament, the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah- Bonsu, who also acted as caretaker Minister of Finance, said the Akufo-Addo-led government was determined to end the practice of one government abandoning projects started by their predecessors because it was not only wrong, but also a main worry to all citizens.

It appears this has received national consensus as both the Majority and Minority leaders in Parliament have reignited discussions on the completion such projects.

Messrs Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu and Haruna Iddrisu say the handling of these projects  has become a thorny issue, while they cost the nation a fortune and so have suggested ways to resolve the situation for the benefit of all.

At a post-2021 budget workshop held in Ho, the Volta Regional capital, for Members of Parliament, the two leaders, though from opposing political camps, expressed the need for a national conversation on how to continue projects that were not finished by previous governments.

While the country is grappling with the problem of abandoned anduncompleted projects,the issue of completed projects not put to use butleft to rot is staring us in the face.

The Ghanaian Times in its today’s issue, has reported on projects completed over 10 years ago to improve the lives in the fast-growing coastal fishing GomoaNyanyano community in the Gomoa East District of the Central Region but have become white elephant and deteriorating.

The projects are Nyanyano Cold Storage Facility, meant to help the fisher folks preserve their catches for the market, a small water system (water health centre) for the supply of potable water to the community and an Information Communication Centre (ICT).

The computers and the accessories in ICT, established by the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC) around 2009 to promote the teaching and learning of ICT, have allegedly been burgled, the Gomoa East District Chief Executive, Solomon Darko-Quarm, told the Ghanaian Times, when contacted.

Upon a visit, the Ghanaian Times saw that the buildings had overgrown with weeds and the surroundings unkempt.

Mr-Quarm said he had taken steps to see to the operations of the projects and that, for instance, the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development had entered into a private-public partnership with Greezie Limited to operate cold store.

There is one question the public would like answered. Why should the district education directorate convert ICT facility into its office annex instead helping to get computers to replace the stolen ones? This is a misplaced priority that must be eliminated from the system.

Undoubtedly, the GomoaNyanyano community projectsare aimed at a eliminating poverty, creating jobs, improving incomes and invariably enhancing the welfare of beneficiaries.

We, therefore appeal to the government to ensure that these projects and others in various parts of the country are revamped and put to use for the benefit of the people.