AMA Debt Forces Contractor To Abandon Project

The dream of moving into a three story eighteen unit classroom block by the teachers and pupils of the Fadama Cluster of Schools in Accra is far from reality as construction of the facility has come to abrupt end.

This is because Milpar Investment and Developers, the contractors tasked to undertake the project have stopped work due to debt by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA).

The 18 months project commenced in April 2016 expected to be handed over in October 2017 would also see the construction of a three-unit KG block with ancillary facilities for use by the pupils.

The papers impeccable source at AMA says that the fund meant for the completion of the GH¢3,049,515.24 worth project was allegedly spent on the June 3, 2015 twin disasters during the tenure of the former Mayor of Accra, Alfred Oko Vanderpuije.

It said although managers of the Millennium City School Project Fund at AMA claim they used the money to support the disaster, there are no records to show at least in the handing over notes the AMA gave to the Okaikwei North Municipal Assembly (ONMA) dated June 10, 2019.

A copy of the handing over notes on the school project authored and signed by one Benjamin Armah, the Metro-Co-Ordinating Director and copied among others the Metro Works Department, Metro Internal Audit stated in part “it will be appreciated if you acknowledge receipt and also work with the contractors to ensure that the projects are completed.”

The document with reference number A.012/15/96 further hinted that AMA owes Milpar Investments GH¢422,253.63 out of the contract sum forcing the contractor to leave the 94 percent complete project to rot.

The document said that outstanding works on the project includes electrical/plumbing fittings, external works, louver carriers/blades (ground floor), part tilling works among others.

Milpar Boss

In an interview with THE NEW PUBLISHER on Thursday, Christian Hammond, Director of the company confirmed the story adding that the company left site in 2016/2017 because payments for work done was not forth coming from AMA.

He said he cannot be sure of the exact amount owed the company by AMA only to state that he has had some meetings with the Okaikwei North Municipal Assembly (ONMA) over the project and has submitted documents covering it.

Ex AMA Boss

Mr. Oko Vanderpuije in an earlier interview flatly denied the claims wondering why the project has to be abandoned particularly when there were funds allocated for the project.

He said he is unaware that moneys meant for the project were used to fund the June 3 disaster insisting “no am not aware of that; we never used any of…because the monies that were supposed to go into these schools were earmarked specifically for those projects, so we could not have used it for June 3^rd.”

The NDC Ablekuma South Constituency MP explained: “At the time I left office, the projects were ongoing, I was monitoring the projects, I was visiting the schools, I was going to site, I was meeting with the contractors before I left office.”

“I know the monies for these projects were donations from special entities for each of them and AMA was making contributions for their completion so I don’t know why they have been abandoned” he claimed.

Mr. Oko Vanderpuije further argued that “as at 2016 the projects were ongoing, of cause the projects were not competed when I was there (in office) and when they completed and turned in their request for payments, we were paying them and we could not pay them when they had not completed…”

Efforts to reach Nii Adjei Sowah, the current AMA for comments on the issue was successful as he would not answer any of the several call put through his phone.

Patrick Yaw Boamah, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for the Constituency in whose jurisdiction this project and two other abandoned ones are located, alsso in an earlier interview declined comments on the issue but rather directed the reporter to speak to the MCE.

Meanwhile, Municipal Chief Executive, Boye Laryea who inherited the abandoned projects from the AMA was unavailable for comments.

 

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