The Ashaiman Member of Parliament (MP), Ernest Norgbey, has inspected a three-bedroom residence he is putting up for the Municipal Education Director.
Funding for the project is about 98 per cent complete. The project is adjacent the Community 22 Polyclinic at Ashaiman Newtown and is funded from the MP’s Common Fund, with counterpart funding from his share of the GetFund.
In the company of the MP to inspect the building were Saeed Bisharat Ahmed, the Ashaiman Municipal Works Engineer, a few assembly members and staff and personnel from the Ashaiman Education Directorate, who expressed satisfaction at the spate of work.
The project has taken about three years to be completed as a result of the delay in the timely release of funds. Confident that the project would be completed and handed over to the beneficiary in a fortnight’s time, Mr Norgbey, the MP, told The Chronicle that about GHc600,000 had been invested in the building.
The initial cost of the building was pegged at GHc500,000 however, the government’s continuous delay in releasing the MPs’ Common Fund and their share of the GetFund, coupled with the high cost of building materials, affected the initial cost of the building and other charges.
That notwithstanding, Mr Norgbey was elated that Education Directors who would be posted to the Ashaiman Municipality would no more be lodging in rented apartments or travelling long distances to Ashaiman to work, a situation the current Ashaiman Education Director is faced with as she travels daily to and from Accra to work.
The Municipal Works Engineer is also happy with the near completion of the project. He, nonetheless, drew the attention of the contractor, DAT Investment, to some corrections and fittings to be effected before the final handing over. Again, he said the Assembly would bear the cost of fixing the road to the residence.
Lastly, he said the Assembly would issue letters to the contractor to apply for water and electricity from the Ghana Water Company and Electricity Company of Ghana “so that by the time the Education Director comes to occupy the place, these two services will have been available.”
Having noted all the observations and contributions from the MP, the Municipal Works Engineer and their entourage, the contractor also appealed for the swift release of funds when he raises letters for payments.
“The more the release of funds is delayed, the more it affects me as prices of building materials continue to increase unexpectedly,” he explained.
But, to that, Mr Norgbey assured him it was not a problem, saying: “Though you can’t get all your payments immediately, I can promise you of a significant amount.”
