Minister asks contractors to engage local workforce
Construction firms executing infrastructural projects for the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) have been directed to engage local workforce, to create jobs for the people.
The firms must furthermore procure building materials from the locally-established hardware stores to boost the local economy.
Mr. Augustine Collins Ntim, a Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, in-charge of Rural Economic Development and Agriculture, gave the directive, when he performed a ground breaking ceremony for work to begin on the construction of offices, for the Pru East District Assembly at Yeji in the Bono East Region.
He added that, it would encourage residents in the local communities to cooperate with and support contractors, in completing projects on time.
The two-storey block, to be executed by Anniya Limited, an Accra-based construction firm at the cost of GH¢200,000.00, is expected to be completed within 11 months.
It would be funded through the district’s share of the District Assembly Common Fund.
Mr. Ntim said construction companies would also be executing quality work if local communities take part and monitor their work.
He said this year, the government would be constructing about 44 Assembly buildings nationwide and assured that his Ministry would facilitate the completion of all Assembly buildings, which were started by the previous government, but had come to a standstill.
Mr. Joshua Kwaku Abonkrah, the Pru East District Chief Executive assured the people of his commitment to ensure equitable distribution of physical infrastructure projects, among all the communities in the district.
He said the Assembly would require cooperation and support from the local communities if development were to manifest.
He also called on the locals to guard against partisan politics, because it had the potential to retard progress.
Mr. Abonkrah emphasised that until the people bury their political differences, they would not be able to embrace and support the implementation of government’s socio-economic transformation programmes, geared towards job creation and poverty reduction.
He said maximum support is required from the people, irrespective of their political affiliation, to make the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJs), as well as the Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD) programmes, achieve desirable results.
Mr. Abonkrah expressed the hope that the contractor working on the project would guard against shoddy work and complete within schedule.
Source: GNA