The Minister of Works and Housing, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has tasked contractors working on the Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development (GARID) project to expedite construction works in order to mitigate the risk of flooding in the capital during the rainy season.
The minister gave the directive during a meeting with project coordinators and contractors in Accra on Friday to address delays plaguing the critical project.
“We’ve assessed how far the project is going and we’ve had a number of site visits to see for ourselves the kind of work going on. After this appraisal, it’s fair for us to say that the project is not moving as quickly as we all expected,” he said.
He expressed worry about the various bottlenecks hampering the project, explaining that the initial project framework mandated a two-step review process for every task, creating unnecessary delays. Additionally, compensating project-affected residents to facilitate work in certain locations encountered setbacks.
Furthermore, the minister pointed out instances where contractors deviated from project specifications without seeking prior approval.
He said the most concerning delay stemmed from a budgetary reallocation with a significant portion of project funds, estimated at $65 million, diverted towards COVID-19.
Mr Oppong Nkrumah outlined a series of measures to tackle these challenges.
To address the compensation delays, he announced that provisions had been made to ensure swift payments to affected residents, freeing up critical work areas.
On the financial front, the Works and Housing Minister reassured contractors that government is actively working with Parliament to make available the outstanding funds, including the diverted $65 million.
While acknowledging the challenges, Mr Oppong Nkrumah emphasised the urgency of the completion of the GARID projects.
He said the impending rainy season poses a serious threat to flood-prone communities hence, contractors must act swiftly to safeguard lives and infrastructure.
The minister reassured contractors of the ministry’s support in providing the needed support to ensure work progresses with speed
