ASSSEMBLY UNDERTAKES MORE PROJECTS (PAGE 35, MAY 5, 2010)

THE Prestea-Huni Valley District Assembly in the Western Region has started constructing eight major projects to facilitate the effective administration and rapid transformation of the newly created district.
The projects include a central administration block complex estimated at GH¢1,147,463.07, a five-bedroom detached bungalow for the District Chief Executive (DCE) at a cost of GH¢140,035, four semi-detached senior staff bungalows estimated to cost GH¢115,000, a four-bedroom detached bungalow for the District Co-ordinating Director at a cost of GH¢108,113.69 and a guest house estimated at GH¢123,953.59.
The administration block complex, said to be the first of its kind in the country, will comprise 60 offices, two executive suites, two 50-capacity committee rooms and a 200-capacity conference room.
The administration block is expected to be completed in 13 months’ time while the bungalows are to be completed in four months’ time. The projects have already been awarded to eight contractors.
The chiefs of Bogoso and Petepom in the district have released a total of 430 acres to the assembly, out of which 60 acres are being used to construct the buildings.
The assembly has paid GH¢8,000 to the chiefs and GH¢80,000 to 27 farmers whose farms have been affected by the projects as compensation, while GH¢10,000 has been paid to 15 families who own the lands.
Speaking at a sod-cutting ceremony at Bogoso for the commencement of the projects, the Western Regional Minister, Mr Paul Evans Aidoo, commended the chiefs for releasing the large tract of land to the assembly for the projects.
He urged members of the district assembly, the chiefs and people in the area to assist the consultants of the projects and the contractors to complete the projects on schedule.
The Member of Parliament for Prestea-Huni Valley, Mr Adu-Blay Kwofie, stated that the completion of the projects would facilitate the rapid transformation of the district.
He advised the people not to politicise the implementation of the projects to ensure their smooth execution.
The DCE for Prestea-Huni Valley, Mr Robert Wisdom Cudjoe, said most of the workers on the projects would be recruited from the district for them to earn an income.
The chief of Petepom, Obinfo Kwaku Appiah, appealed to the district assembly to consider the traditional authority in the award of contracts for the projects.