A contractor has locked up a newly constructed school building in the Boya-Natinga electoral area in the Pusiga District of the Upper East Region following the government’s failure to pay him after the school was handed over.
The 3-unit classroom block has 2 office spaces and a toilet facility and was constructed with funds from the Northern Development Authority (NDA) under the ‘1 Million Dollar per constituency’ initiative.
The contractor, Fuseini Amadu Yamdella says he commenced work in the year 2020, completed the school the same, and handed over the keys of the school to the NDA in the year 2021. The NDA through its Deputy Chief Executive, Williams Zoogah on July 28th, 2023 officially handed over the school to the Ghana Education Service for use.
In a viral video that is circulating on social media, the contractor is seen driving out the pupils who were in the classroom to pave the way for him to lock up the classrooms. When A1 Radio contacted Mr. Amadu, he said the NDA awarded the contract to Abdul-Karim Zanni Dubiure, the NPP 2020 parliamentary candidate for Pusiga who in turn sold the contract to him at the sum of Ghc 450,000.00
He said the project was completed and handed over but the government has not made payment for his work. Frustrated by the government’s failure to fulfil its financial obligations, Mr. Amadu said he decided to lock up the school building as a form of protest.
Contractor poses for a picture
“After the handing over, they told me that I would hear from them in a month’s time. But since July, I haven’t heard anything. That is why I went there to lock up the school. I bought cement, and iron rods because the school was commissioned, I was given the money. Everybody now rushes me for their money. So, I said if that is the case, I will go and lock up the school so that people will know that they haven’t paid me”, he explained.
The school building that was locked up on Monday 16th, 2023 caused inconvenience to both teachers and students who were expecting to resume classes for the day. The contractor said the chief and the assembly member for the area pleaded on behalf of the stranded pupils and teachers for the school to be opened.
“So I opened the school and gave them [government officials] a week and if by Monday they fail to pay me the money I will go back and lock it again and then I will write ‘for sale’ on the school”, he told A1 Radio’s Joshua Asaah without mincing words.
Even though officials from the NDA have approached him to resolve the matter, the contractor, Fuseini Amadu Yamdella expressed with shock that the DCE for Pusiga, Zubeiru Abdulai denied awarding him a contract.
“The media went to the DCE’s office and he told them that I am not a contractor and my name was not in his documents. That is what annoyed me and I locked up the school so that Ghanaians will know that I am the one who built the school”, he stated.
He believes that by doing so, he will draw attention to his situation and force the government to take action. The DCE, Mr. Zubeiru when contacted by this reporter said “The project was handed over in July this year and we are in the process of paying him his money”
When asked if he is aware that the contractor has given the government a week’s ultimatum for the money to be paid else he will lock up the school, the DCE did not comment further but said “Let’s wait for the Monday”
Meanwhile, the NDA’s Deputy CEO, Williams Zoogah said the individual in question is not owed.
Deputy NDA CEO, William Zoogah during the handing over ceremony
He said “We did not award him a contract. We awarded the school to someone and the person sublet it to him. So, we don’t owe him a pesewa”
Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1Mhz|Joshua Asaah|Ghana
