The First Contractors Association asks the government to resolve the dispute between them and the First Company of Ghana

Regional news for Tuesday, November 10, 2020

Source: GNA

2020-11-10

The Ghana First Contractors Association (FCAG), made up of more than 1,486 contractors, has voiced its displeasure at the government’s inability to resolve the dispute related to the Ghana First Company Limited (GFCL) ‘Clean Sanitation Project’.

Speaking to the media at a community engagement held in Fodoa in Kwahu West Township in the eastern region, Edward Kofi Appah, Association member and CEO of Gye Nyame Sand and Building Construction Works, said that The project, which was awarded to contractors in 2017, was for them to build toilets in communities across the country under the ‘Ghana Clean Sanitation Project’, a project aimed at curbing open defecation in the country.

He said that the contractors went through all the necessary procedures to acquire the contract and sought financial support from the banks to enable them to complete the project in the stipulated time of three months, adding that the contractors spent a huge amount of money on the project that was underway. becoming unsuccessful.

He said the contractors opted for the project because they were given assurance that it was a genuine contract between the Government of Ghana and Ghana first Company Limited, leading the individual contractors to conclude that the contract was government-backed. and that its due diligence was complete to proceed with GFCL’s contractual arrangements.

He said the government’s involvement in the entire contract and the support provided to GFCL, a company that had no prior experience in solid waste construction and management prior to the formulation of an alliance in a supposed Private Partnership Project (PPP) agreement ) between the Government of Ghana through the Local Government and the Ministry of Sanitation.

Appah said the government through the district assemblies provided land and other assistance to Ghana First Company Limited for contractors to start work in mid-2017.

“It is a disconcerting revelation for them because if the ministry claimed to have no knowledge of the contract, then where did the three letters signed and sealed by their former vice ministers come from,” he said.

Appah alleged that the Minister of Sanitation was spotted a couple of times along with the GFCL executive director conducting inspections at some of the facilities in one of the communities.

He said that the association in the process submitted three letters that include; two letters of introduction and one letter of support to the Ministry of Local Government, the Ministry of Sanitation and the Government to help make complaints about the viability and financial status of the projects.

Appah said his responses on other media platforms led the association to ask the government to address the current situation, but all efforts to get the government to respond to his complaints proved futile.

“As contractors we understand the debt, so some of our members are willing to take the bull by the horn and complete the projects and execute them to pay off their debt and also help the host communities,” he added.

He claimed that other investors were ready to receive the same cover letters and support from the government to be able to download the contracts to them, but the government’s silence and subsequent posting on its achievement tracker was driving them away.

He urged the government to be brave and declare their intention for the project so that they could save their dying members.

“The government’s silence is scaring the Local Assemblies so that they do not carry out the BoT agreements for our members to continue the project,” he said.