More contractors demand arrears from Ghana@50 Secretariat
Accra, Sept. 17, Ghanadot/GNA
– Justice Isaac Duose, Chairman of Ghana@50 Commission of
Inquiry on Thursday bemoaned the lack of valid contracts by
most of the witnesses that appear before the body.
He was reacting to answers by some of the witnesses during
cross-examination, whether they had valid contract
agreements with the Ghana @ 50 Secretariat.
Some of the witnesses are demanding various sums of money
from the Secretariat for jobs they had executed for which
payment had not been made.
The jobs include construction works, decorations and event
management.
Lowe Lintas, the company that refurbished the Public Records
Archive Administration Department (PRAAD) in 2007 are
demanding GH¢241,974.06 as payment for the works it carried
out.
Madam Norkor Duah, Managing Director of Lowe Lintas, who was
testifying before the Commission, explained that in December
2006 her outfit prepared a proposal on
rallying-round-the-flag, leading to the anniversary
celebration.
She said based on the success of the programme, Lowe Lintas
spotted an advertisement in the media on refurbishment at
PRAAD and presented a proposal to the Ghana@50 Secretariat,
which was approved but required pre-financing.
Madam Duah told the Commission that because of the nature of
the project, which was in two phases, her company formed a
consortium with two other firms- Prodesign and Expert Media
to undertake the contract.
Phase one of the project was to demolish the frontage of
PRAAD whilst phase two was to carry out expansion works to
give the department a facelift.
She said even though her company did not complete the work,
the Secretariat should pay for the work done.
Mr Akoto Ampaw, Counsel for Dr. Charles Wereko-Brobby, Chief
Executive Officer of the defunct Ghana@50 Secretariat told
the Commission that the Secretariat had no difficulty with
the amount Lowe Lintas was demanding since their work at
PRAAD was satisfactory.
Mr. Richard Doe, Managing Director of Intrateck Interiors
also made a demand of GH¢31,143 as an unpaid balance for the
supply and installation of plaster board ceiling in 30
houses at the La African Union (AU) Village at Cantonments
in Accra and the supply and installation of plywood ceiling
on 30 outhouses and garage at the same location.
He also demanded GH¢6,225.00 for the supply and installation
of wooden corner mouldings on 19 houses at the AU village,
which he termed as additional works for which he could not
provide an agreement to that effect.
During cross-examination, Mr. Doe whose evidence was not
consistent with the memoranda submitted to the Commission
variations of his oral and written presentations.
Mr. Ampaw reminded Mr. Doe that in the case of the initial
contract, he did not complete works on the 30 houses as he
claimed, referring him to a letter accompanying his
memoranda indicating that he had finished works on 27
houses.
Mr. Doe who was not coherent in his presentation and caused
an uproar when he said he had completed 30 houses.
“My Lord, I put it to you also that I completed 30 houses”
said Mr. Doe, explaining that he wrote the letter to the
Secretariat when he completed the works on the 27 houses and
needed funds to complete the remaining three since he had
exhausted the initial GH¢60,000 mobilization the Secretariat
paid him from his contract sum of GH¢95,940.
Mr. Ampaw insisted that the Secretariat’s records indicated
that he had only GH¢17,760 to collect.
He said the Secretariat could not pay the GH¢6,225 he was
demanding for the extra works he claimed to have executed.
The Commission said it would work on Mr. Doe’s concerns and
make recommendations accordingly.
Mr. Daniel Zowonu of Danzo Plumbing Works also appealed to
the Commission to help him retrieve the outstanding balance
of payment from the Secretariat for the works he carried out
at the AU Village.
The Commission asked him to furnish it with the relevant
documentation to back his demand, as Mr. Ampaw observed that
Zowonu’s memoranda lacked merit.
Mr. Kwabena Anim Danso, Managing Director of Kadabot
Limited, a construction firm also demanded GH¢C129,942 as
outstanding payment for the construction of a car park at
the Arts Centre and an accrued interest of GH¢48,000 on the
amount since his bankers were on his neck to retrieve the
loan he took from to undertake the project.
GNA
