SOME MAJOR ROADS IN UW TO BE TARRED (PAGE 21, OCT 28)

TARRING of some major roads in the Upper West Region is to commence in December, this year.
The works, which will cover a total of 429 kilometres, will open up the region and enhance economic activities.
Currently, the region is one of those with the worst roads in the country. Most of the roads in the area have deteriorated due to the recent rains.
According to the Regional Manager of the Department of Feeder Roads, Mr Kwabena Omane-Brimpong, the Nadowli District is one of the districts to benefit from the road rehabilitation and a total of 111 kilometres of its roads will be improved.
These include the Sankana-Nator and Dafiama- Dachia roads.
Mr Omane-Brimpong said his outfit, in consultation with the regional tender board, had terminated contracts on 18 spot-improvement road projects.
He attributed the problem to the low capacities of contractors in the region and urged them to be up to the task.
Mr Omane-Brimpong, who was addressing a meeting between technocrats in the road sector and the Nadowli District Assembly, advised contractors to regularly read contract documents very carefully and work within deadlines.
He said the Japanese Government and the World Bank would support the construction of some of the roads in the area.
The Nadowli District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr Abu Kasangbata, assured the contractors that the assembly would ensure the prompt payment for all jobs they executed.
He appealed to them to exercise restraint when payment of contracts delayed, saying, “The current budget of the assembly has catered for all that and we will ensure that we pay all the money we owe you”.
Mr Kasangbata stressed that he would not compromise for poor quality work and, therefore, advised contractors to be assertive and abide by the regulations regarding construction at all times.
A contractor, Mr Gaston Kale, appealed to the government to seek the interest of local contractors by building their capacities.
He also called for a reduction in interests rate to make payment of loans less cumbersome.