The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu ll, has asked the Minister of Finance, designate, Mohamed Amin Adam, to set his priorities right to bring changes towards development in the country.
According to the Asantehene, his appointment meant a huge responsibility on him and should ensure that he lived up to expectation to justify the confidence the President has reposed in him.
The Asantehene acknowledged that there were some challenges in the economy and tasked the Minister to set priorities right to reflect in the economy, stressing that Ghanaians would want to see some changes.
He was speaking during a courtesy call on him by the Minister on Tuesday.
Responding, the Minister assured that he would do his best to ensure acceleration of stalled projects in the Ashanti Region.
He mentioned that the projects were stalled due to lack of funds but reiterated government’s determination to complete those projects.
Mr. Amin used the occasion to commend the Asantehene for his contributions towards national development.
The courtesy call coincided with a visit to the Maternity block at the KomfoAnokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), the Kumasi International Airport and an interaction with the Ashanti Regional Minister.
At the Airport Mr. Amin mentioned that government had already released €7million and the outstanding amount of €2million would, by next week, be released for the completion of the project.
The President, he said, was committed to the completion of the project and it was so unfortunate there was a challenge hence the need to do everything possible to complete it.
“It was this outstanding money that stalled the project, and now that the money would be paid to you by next week, we will not take any excuses from you, so that at the end of April the project will be complete”, he charged the contractor, Messrs Contracta Construction UK Limited.
He was full of praise for the Contractor looking at the massive work done as he said “I am very happy to see what has been done here, what I am seeing shows you have done a good job, and so it should be carried to the logical conclusion, so end of April is the deadline”.
Project Manager,Jorge Tavares, noted a major work to be done was the installation of the Control Tower and when that was done, the old facility would be pulled down.
He explained that the old facility was too close to the runway which was not in compliance with international rules of airports.
The demolishing of the old facility would pave way for the fire department to be direct to the runway and “that will be the end of the proejct”.
Earlier at the KATH, Mr. Amin gave the assurance that efforts were being made for the Contracta Construction UK to return to the site for the completion of the facility.
“You have to resume work two weeks from now to complete the work for the benefit of Ghanaians,…Government has released €14million for the project”, he stressed.
The Ashanti Region Minister, Simon Osei Mensah, had earlier appealed to the Finance Minister to do all possible to ensure completion of the Kumasi International Airport, KATH Maternity block and the construction of the Ahenema Kokoben to Anwia Nkwanta road.
FROM KINGSLEY E.HOPE,KUMASI
