Much awaited completion of the Kumasi Sofoline interchange has turned into a white elephant. Chinese contractors, China Geo Engineering and their workers have all abandoned the project mid way over non-payment of monies due them.
For barely a week now road, pavements and other concrete works on the project which is about 70% complete have all stalled. Chucks at the site yesterday, revealed an unpleasant scenario as Plantain sellers, hawkers and other petty traders have taken over the pavements and some area under construction.
The main yard of the contractors was locked up and none of expatriates were on sight. A handful of local union workers were, however,, seen discussing the situation.
Some of the workers interviewed said their employers have asked them to stay away until further notice. They have appealed to the government and the sector minister to as a matter of urgency step in to remedy the situation. The Urban Roads Department is not making any conscious effort to stem that tide.
But Mr. Theodore Quaye, Regional Urban roads Director refers to that negative situation as a slowdown of work. Though tight-lipped on the actual cause, he rather blames the contractors for under delay.
Meanwhile several calls to reach the project consultant, Mr. Ato Badu Prah, to ascertain the cause of their action yielded no response. Work on the interchange since its commencement about seven years ago, has been truncated for more than ten times due to labour agitations and contractual indifference's. Recently the local workers union laid their tools over what they described as racial abuse by their Chinese employers.
<<Print>>